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Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: Ron on June 13, 2012, 07:00:42 PM
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For those of you who knew John, John passed away today from a heart attack.
"R.I.P. John Kemper, the NPC National Vice-President, the NPC New Jersey State Chairman, NPC Promoter, NPC/IFBB Judge, and the creator of The World Famous Diamond Gym, N.J."
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i heard about it about half hour ago, that sucks. i knew kemper since 81 and he was really good people.R.I.P john, he made daimond gym one of the best gyms to train at and he will be missed
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Solid cat. Excellent bodybuilder. Kick ass gym.
PIP
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R.I.P.
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beat r.i.p. how old was he late 60's,,,he ran nj npc for yrs and good judge major force
for nj bbing..
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he was 68 i hear
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Very sorry to hear of his passing. Sympathy to family and friends.
TD
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Just read on FB that he passed away. Any info on this?
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RIP
Mr. New Jersey 1974
Mr. Physique 1978
NPC Junior USA winner 1983
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May God rest his soul.
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Mr. New Jersey 1974
Mr. Physique 1978
NPC Junior USA winner 1983
1963
Teen Mr America - AAU, 8th
1964
Mr East Coast - AAU, 3rd
1965
Junior Mr USA - AAU, 2nd
1970
Mr New Jersey - AAU, 4th
1971
Mr Atlantic Coast - AAU, Winner
Mr New Jersey - AAU, 2nd
1974
Mr New Jersey - AAU, Winner
1978
Junior Mr America - AAU, Tall, 8th
Mr Physique USA - AAU, Tall, 1st
Mr Physique USA - AAU, Overall Winner
1979
Mr America - AAU, Tall, 4th
1980
Mr America - AAU, HeavyWeight, 4th
Junior Mr USA - AAU, HeavyWeight, 4th
1981
Junior Mr America - AAU, HeavyWeight, 2nd
Mr USA - AAU, HeavyWeight, 1st
World Games, HeavyWeight, 1st
1983
Junior USA - NPC, HeavyWeight, 1st
Junior USA - NPC, Overall Winner
1984
Nationals - NPC, Light-HeavyWeight, 6th
1985
Nationals - NPC, Light-HeavyWeight, 7th
1987
Masters Nationals - NPC, HeavyWeight, 1st
Masters Nationals - NPC, Overall Winner
http://musclememory.com/show.php?a=Kemper,+John
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R.I.P
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Wow this really sucks......he was one of my early inspirations.
Speechless
RIP
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(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c155/coconutsandapples/JKemper0017.jpg)
(http://www.darkwoods.com/bodybuilder/male/bb/gallery/fullsize/kemper02.jpg)
(http://www.darkwoods.com/bodybuilder/male/bb/gallery/fullsize/kemper01.jpg)
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(https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQF-8LpDcXeljzRU9uB4Njn-O3j8_1A2dj5YeGZUpTbicA4-4IA)
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:( john kemper former owner of diamond gym in new jersey has died. heart attack.
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john will be missed, he was really cool people. he always would take time out and help us if we needed advice on diet or training, he was like a father to us
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John was a great guy. He helped train me and my wife from 04-06 and we judged in NJ with him from 03-08. Gonna really miss Kemper. R.I.P John Kemper
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God Bless and Rest in Peace
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How old was he? I remember his gym back in the day.
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How old was he? I remember his gym back in the day.
would have been 68 in july
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8)
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8)
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:-*
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RIP banana hands
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:o
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t-shirt from gym
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:( john kemper former owner of diamond gym in new jersey has died. heart attack.
Rest in Peace :-\
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What a shame, good kid, always in the mags in the 70's and 80's...
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8)
Photo by Dick Falcon. No doubt Johnny's left-hand man.
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It's too bad, the man was a legend.
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for you guys that knew john or trained at diamond they have some cool stuff up on diamond gyms facebook page in memory of john of your interested
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they have some really cool stuff on the diamond gym facebook page in memory of john, i took that news kinda hard yesterday :'(
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From Lonnie Teper... Ironman Magazine
John Kemper Dies Suddenly at 67
(http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/blogs/lonnie/wp-content/uploads/kemper_0229.jpg)
Unlike Robert Kennedy, who suffered for months before passing away in April from cancer, John Kemper’s death on Wednesday, June 13, came without warning. Kemper died at home, while at his computer, shortly after returning from Diamond Gym, the world-renowned facility he sold to Dwayne McDaniel in 2007. Kemper would have turned 68 on July 31. Funeral arrangements are pending.
“John was in the gym, like normal, Wednesday morning, working out, training his clients and joking around like he always did,” said McDaniel. No official cause of death had been determined by Thursday afternoon. I knew John for over 25 years. I was in San Jose, CA in 1987 when he and wife Shirley won the Mixed Pairs division; I emceed shows for him, hung out with him and his family on many occasions. In fact, I was one of the first people John phoned a couple of years back with the tragic news that his daughter, Tina, had died. Tina, like her parents a former competitor, was only 40 years old. I felt John never fully recovered from his loss.
I took the accompanying photo of John backstage at the 2010 NPC New Jersey State Championships. Dwayne, who bought the show from John that year, hired me to emcee; John was head judge. Kemper, who won his first contest at 16—the Teenage New Jersey—was a NPC National Vice-President and New Jersey State Chairman as well as promoter and NPC/IFBB judge.
An accomplished artist, John was also, like me, a huge Elvis fan. When I showed him an old picture a year or so ago of me doing my Elvis thing, complete with white jumpsuit and rhinestones from the early 1990s, he asked me to send him the picture. John said he wanted to do a drawing for me. I would tease him every time I saw him at shows. “Where’s my drawing, John?” “Oh shoot, I’ll get to it soon, I promise.” he sheepishly would retort.
It’s okay, big guy. Now you have plenty of time in your studio in the sky to get it done. Rest in peace, my man. Condolences to the Kemper family and friends.
http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/blogs/lonnie/john-kemper-dies-suddenly-at-67/
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Wednesday we lost a great friend with the sudden death of John Kemper. For those who wish to pay their respects, the viewing will be held from 4pm-9pm this coming Monday (June 18th) at the Preston Funeral Home; 153 South Orange Ave., South Orange NJ. The church service will be Tuesday morning at 9:30am, held at Our Lady of Sorrow which is at 217 Prospect St., South Orange NJ. The family is requesting donations in lieu of flowers, which can be made out to Shirley Kemper and sent to: Shirley Kemper, c/o Jack Haydu, PO Box 1423, Linden NJ 07036.
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for you guys that knew john or trained at diamond they have some cool stuff up on diamond gyms facebook page in memory of john of your interested
thanks :D john in shades cover mti
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For those who wish to pay their respects, the viewing will be held from 4pm-9pm this coming Monday (June 18th) at the Preston Funeral Home; 153 South Orange Ave., South Orange NJ. The church service will be Tuesday morning at 9:30am, held at Our Lady of Sorrow which is at 217 Prospect St., South Orange NJ. The family is requesting donations in lieu of flowers, which can be made out to Shirley Kemper and sent to: Shirley Kemper, c/o Jack Haydu, PO Box 1423, Linden NJ 07036.
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kemper and don pietro appeared in mmi as training pards.
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P.I.P.
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it is going to be at Preston Funeral Home in South Orange. NJ
wake is going to be on Monday from 4-9 pm
The viewing of John Kemper will be held on Monday (June 18), from 4-9 pm at the Preston Funeral Home, 153 South Orange, NJ. The church service will be the following morning, Tuesday (June 19), at 9:30 am, at Our Lady of Sorrow, 217 Prospect St., South Orange, NJ. The family is requesting, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made out to: Shirley Kemper, c/o Jack Haydu, PO Box 1423, Linden, NJ 07036.
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thanks bob, i posted all the info up top on the john kemper thread. john was a good man RIP
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Sounds like a class act that loved what he did
RIP
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sad news, RIP
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Some cool reflections from Dwayne McDaniels
At 17 years old & 140lbs soaking wet, I walked into the gym. The membership was $75/year. You took payments because you knew I couldn't afford even that...... Thank you.
I'm 18 now; "John, how can I get my legs to grow?" You said, "Squats". "Dwayne, you have high lat inserts! You have to do reverse grip bent over rows for your lower lat!"......Thank you John.
Way back in the day, you told me, "Thats not a good idea Dwayne because it's about longevity."..... Thank you John.
I'm 19 now; "John, how can I get my legs to grow?" You said again "Squats".
Any given day I would hear, "F THAT! I'm not doing leg with John and that damn Parrillo Squat Machine!"
As you walked back to the leg room with your client, I can hear them say, "Damn John! We're doing that F'ing Vertical Leg Press again!!!"....... Thank you John.
I'm 21 years old now; "John, how do I get my legs to.......never mind." Thank you John
"Hey, Dwayne! Personal training 101, put your weights back!"...... Thank you John.
"Hey Dwayne! You're a full service trainer huh?!".... Lol Thank you John
"Dwayne! Where's the chalk?! There's noth'n but white powder in the bowl!" .....Hmmmm Lmao!....Thank you John
"Dwayne, you're late!" Me: "It's my day off John." You: "You don't get daaays off!? What's that?!"....Thank you John.
"Dwayne! Someone is on my bike!" Me: "Please get off Johns bike."
"Dwayne, put my hat in the back...And not on the floor!" Me: "Ok John."
Me: "Yo man, I don't think John likes me. He's always needling me."
Member: "Na dude. That's just his way."
"Dwayne! Where's the pins for the machines?!"
"Dwayne! Where's the clips?!"
"Dwayne! You cant do that!"
John, because of you, I put my weights back, my legs did grow, I became a trainer, we'll ALWAYS have chalk, I make it on time (well, sometimes), we'll always have pins, and we'll always have clips.
Most importantly, because of you, I CAN do that!
I never knew how much you drove me, until now.
Dwayne McDaniels
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From Jim Manion - NPC President
John was a man's man who made everyone feel like a friend from the first time you met him and he always greeted you with that firm handshake of his! Yes, my son J.M. said to me today that John still had that firm handshake and J.M. had the pleasure of knowing John for many years. I could go on and on about John as we shared many good times together over the last 30 years. My wife Debbie, my son J.M. and the whole NPC organization are deeply saddened today as we all had the pleasure of John’s company for many years. I will miss John tremendously and always remember him as a dear friend.
From Brad & Elaine Craig - NPC Officials and promoters
"The Bodybuilding world has lost a great ambassador to the sport with the passing of John Kemper! John lived and breathed the sport as a National Champion, Trainer, Gym Owner, NPC Vice President, NPC and IFBB Judge. We met John through the NPC and always looked forward to talking to him at the annual NPC Meetings over the past thirty years. John was always friendly, sincere, a gentleman and a genuine nice guy. He possessed qualities that are rare in the sport today or the world for that matter. We have fond memories of John and his wife Shirley each winning the Overall Titles at the 1987 Teens and Masters Nationals that we promoted. John and Shirley were great sports and agreed to do a television shoot prior to the show, to help promote the event. Even though they were tired from traveling from New Jersey to Seattle, they both agreed enthusiastically. John said, "However we can help you promote your show we are very happy to do it". At the show, they helped other competitors and promoted camaraderie in the backstage area. John would always make a point to call or send a card to see how we were doing over the following years. What a class act! We will miss John and so will all who had the privilege of knowing the man!"
From John Balik - Ironman Publisher
I met John Kemper by accident, the kind you describe as serendipitous as the encounter unfolds. I was working in New Jersey in 1977 and I was looking for a place to work out. I found him by dialing 411, remember dialing for information in pre Goggle times, that was it, if you were searching for a place to workout in a strange city. Bill Grant and Henry Jinks lived in North New Jersey, I knew them from their trips to LA in the 60’s and they had mentioned the name of a newly opened hard core gym-Diamond Gym -which I learned was about 10 miles from where I was working. What I found was not only a double storefront gym that was the hardest of the hard core but the friendship of John Kemper. John was a successful bodybuilder from the early 60's forward and opened this gym as a second job (an avocation really) to his profession as a school counselor. In a lot of ways the gym reminded me of the Division St. and early Duncan YMCA gyms created by Bob Gajda. Heavy iron, solid but basic equipment and a diverse group of men having great workouts all driven by a singular personality, this time it was the personality of John Kemper.
Like Bob Gajda's effort, John's gym membership ran from black to white and every shade in between, all united by the barbell and the openness and generosity of John . John was catholic in the sense that he was all embracing, his actions said, you are all welcome. A very special guy who walked the walk not only as a bodybuilder but as a human being. When I heard of his passing last week, I was swept back to that humble gym and the fun of being a part of something. John's club always meant something, stood for something because he did. These ensuing 35 years have done nothing to dim my first impression of John and in fact our meetings at various NPC/IFBB events that he was a judge at were always preceded by his solid handshake and engaging smile and gentle energy as he pulled you into his sphere. That is what I felt in 1977 on our first meeting and that is what I felt at our last in 2012 at the Arnold Classic. Many thousands have felt the power of his openness and will miss it, I do.
From Garry Bartlett -
When I first became interested in bodybuilding back in the mid 60's I studied every magazine at the time and one particular physique that really caught my eye was that of a young man by the name of John Kemper. John sported a nice symmetrical pleasing development, which inspired me to train with the goal of building a physique like his. At the time I never dreamed that many years later I would meet John. Dressed in his blue blazer he was a fixture at the IFBB Judging table at the numerous Pro shows I would cover. Always polite and courteous, John was a true gentlemen. His passion for bodybuilding was evident as he was always had time and enjoyed chatting about the current scene. The bodybuilding world has lost another of its ikons and he will be missed greatly. Take care my friend,
From Dr. Rafael Santonja - IFBB President
Attached to my first visits to Mr. Olympia and other professional American events in the 80’s is the clear image of our friend John Kemper, a true gentleman in his quiet demeanor and respectful friendliness. John was a loyal and dedicated IFBB official and judge. I will always have fond memories of him and would like to join his family in their prayers.
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RIP. Seeing his pics on the mag covers brings back old memories.
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RIP John..
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John was a class act and a stand up guy. He would always remember me and offer me a smile and a firm handshake when I'd visit Diamond Gym. Shared with me a couple of funny stories about the old days, Joe Weider, and guys like Arnold and Mentzer. I also enjoyed the banter when I happened to be there when Bill Grant and John were joking together.
Fond memories of John Kemper. I will miss him.
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I remember how welcoming John was when I first became an east coast bodybuilding groupie. When people traveled in from out-of-town to compete or even just to watch his shows, they were often invited to use his gym, free of charge.
R.I.P., kind sir.
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john did a great job making diamond gym and the champions it produced
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8)
Published on Dec 28, 2012
Rx Muscle's Bros vs Pros 13 John Kemper Tribute Video
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STFU you stupid bitch no one cares.
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They seem to be dropping like flies lately..... wait... They are always dropping like flies. Have we had one years were a bodybuilder hasn't died?
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STFU you stupid bitch no one cares.
STFU you stupid bitch no ones cares.
:-*
(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb105/skooly_photos/MMA/jbj-hi_od7df5zv.gif)
LOT'S of people cared about John Kemper, asshole.