Cape woman looks forward to what each day brings

Paula Kempe, a 14-year contributor to the Southeast Missourian letters to the editor column, will reach the 100-year milestone Tuesday.

Rising at 4:30 a.m. allows her to fully enjoy her time and is important for Kempe to get the news to organize her thoughts on what she may write on. The newspaper arrives around that time, but Kempe doesn't want to miss anything so she keeps the television on round the clock.

Jeopardy has earned the status as her favorite show because she thinks it's educational, but she also stays up late to watch old movies with Fred Astaire, Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy.

Kempe believes there's two parts of her life -- up until 1930 was the best world, and from then on it will never be as good. Life, she says, used to be peaceful without hatred or frustration; there was no drinking, shooting or crime and you never locked the doors because it was safe. But that was then.

"There's no love. Only hatred and frustration. Everyone wants more," said Kempe.

Her consistent letters to the editor reflect these thoughts.

She was prompted by her nephew, Dr. Walter Kempe, to write about her many experiences after the loss of her twin sister, Millie Martha, who died at age 85. She and her sister, often inseparable, never married. They shared their life at 226 N. Ellis St. for more than three quarters of a century and when Millie died, Kempe decided to move to the Lutheran Home.

Life story on display

Her home ever since, Room 223 is wallpapered in greeting cards and photos that tell Kempe's life story from infancy on. "My whole life is on that wall. I want it to look like home, not a nursing home," she said.

She doesn't like being 100 -- too many limitations due to an aging body -- but she says, "I'm blessed because I have my mind."

Keen on knowing your thoughts, Kempe segues to politics, saying, "I like to debate." Kempe's favorite president was Harry S. Truman. She liked his daughter and his wife, too, and although she thinks Eleanor Roosevelt would have made an excellent president, she cared little for her husband. For that matter, she cared very little for Sen. Hillary Clinton's husband, Bill.

But Kempe has enough faith in Hillary to believe she may be the first woman president. It is her opinion that women have it over the men when it comes to serving as president. "They have better foresight and can endure more," she said. One of her birthday wishes includes living long enough to find out who will be elected in 2008.

Kempe is a Republican but she votes for the candidate, not along party lines. She is active as president of the Lutheran Home Council, seeing that residents' complaints are handled. She recently served on the Glenn House open forum held at the Lutheran Home Activity Room. She supplied a lot on Cape Girardeau's history.

Kempe said, "I answered a lot of questions."

Employers in her time have included the Cape Girardeau School District, Newberry's, Shiff's Shoe Store, the Dollar Hat Shop; she also spent time as a private nurse, banjo player, actress, and now, as a writer.

Contest sparked writing

Kempe first discovered her love for writing in 1948 when she won first prize for a limerick contest sponsored by the local newspaper.

Someday she plans on writing a piece about Southeast Missourian editor Joe Sullivan.

"The way he writes makes it seem so real," she said. One of the reasons she wants to write about him is because of his dignified voice. She sees a hidden talent in his voice.

But for now Kempe will get ready for her party on Monday, the day before her birthday. "There will be 70 guests, somebody's going to sing and we'll have pizza," she said.

Her remaining birthday wishes include living longer with the mentality to enjoy life, good health and seeing the River Campus completed.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133