Michael Raymond Kemelek was born on April 5, 1952, in Jersey City, New Jersey, to Raymond and Rachel Kemelek. The oldest of two sons, Michael and his younger brother Gregory lost their mother at a young age. They spent their entire childhood in Jersey City with their dad, Raymond, who served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. Michael particularly enjoyed baseball and was a lifelong follower of the sport, along with football.
Upon entering adulthood, Michael enlisted in the United States Army. He served in the Finance Corps for almost three years before leaving the Army to attend college. In 1983, Michael joined the Army again, this time as a member of the Transportation Corps. He met and married his wife Debra in California, and they have two adult children, daughter Kendall, a major in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, and Matthew, an Infantry Captain.
Michael loved his family and his community, to include the Army, St. Bede’s Parish, and the town of Williamsburg, where he and Debra settled permanently after his retirement from the Army. He was a voracious reader and writer and enjoyed science fiction, parks, and tree watching. Michael rarely traveled anywhere without his glasses, a newspaper, a pen in his front shirt pocket, and photos of his family at the ready to show anyone he could. Michael’s spirit, enduring love, and favorite saying, “life is good if you let it be,” lives on in his wife and children, his brother, Gregory, his nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and a host of loving family all over the world.
A memorial mass will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, August 26, 2022, at Saint Bede Catholic Church. Full military honors will be rendered immediately following the service.
Professional services entrusted to the staff of Whiting’s Funeral Home, 7005 Pocahontas Trail, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185. 757-229-3011 whitingsfuneralhome.com
