Ian Kempf of Boston, MA, passed away on December 28th, at the age of 53, from complications due to polycystic kidney disease. Ian was born in Queens, NY, something he was immeasurably proud of – even though he was primarily raised in Providence, RI. Ever the New Yorker, he loved “his city”, boasting about the Yankees and eating at Katz’s Deli. Ian possessed an encyclopedic amount of knowledge about a variety of subjects, but the two that come most to mind are heavy metal music and model railroading. Since his teenage years, Ian has gone to hundreds of shows. Supporting live music was something that he enjoyed, attending shows until a few weeks ago. Ian was introduced to model railroading by his father. Among local hobbyists, Ian was known as “the Train Guy” and loved helping his customers at Hobby Emporium. He was a long-time member of the Bay State Model Railroad Museum in Roslindale, MA. At the BSMRM, he had a family of train enthusiasts and he treasured every minute with the guys, especially his N Scale crew and Bob. He loved assisting with their annual public shows, educating people about the importance of trains in history and of having a hobby that one is passionate about. He was a loving partner to Meg White, of Boston, MA. He is also survived by his sister, Susan, and her partner, Cameron; his brother, Benjamin, and his wife, Jodi; and his two nephews, Jared and Elijah. He was predeceased by his parents, Maureen and Kevin Kempf.
Family and friends are cordially invited to attend the Visitation from the George F. Doherty & Sons Wilson-Cannon Funeral Home, 456 High St., Dedham, MA, on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. A rocking celebration of Ian’s life will be planned in the future. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a fund set up in Ian’s name, which assists students at Central High School in Providence, RI. Your donations go directly to assisting students with food, clothing and sporting equipment. This cause is near and dear to his heart. Checks can be made out to Central High School and mailed to Central High School, Attn: Renee Walker, 70 Fricker Street, Providence, RI, 02903.