John H. Kamp
In Honor of: Harry W. Kamp
My Dad
My dad may not have been a financially rich man in the eyes of the world; however, he was abundantly rich in moral character. He was a humble man who didn't think he was anything special or worthy of being praised; however, I disagree with that notion and I think that he had many things about his character that are worthy of being praised.
My dad had a high degree of integrity, an unwavering will to do things the right way as to his understanding. This trait would show itself in the work that he would do for himself and for others, My dad understood that many tasks could be completed and accepted with good enough ideals of workmanship; however, he would strive for quality of workmanship which often included his own unique artistic input into whatever task he undertook.
My dad had integrity of thought, if he believed he was right about something, he would stand firm. Many times his firmness on a subject was viewed as stubbornness and sometimes it was, but more often you were witnessing his strong moral compass to do what is right or what ought to be done regardless what anyone else might think of him.
My dad was an honest man. I never knew him to lie and deceive me or anyone else that I ever heard of, he was upright in all his dealings.
My dad was dependable. If he told you that he was going to do something for you, he would do it. He would oftentimes sacrifice his own needs to fulfill his commitment to you.
My dad had a strong work ethic. He worked hard on completing the task without slacking on the job and he often worked double shifts to help provide his family the extras in life.
My dad was generous. If you need anything he would try his best to give it to you. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. Most of all, he was generous with his time. If you wanted time with him, he would give it.
My dad had a sense of humor. He could make you smile not only by the things he would say, but also by the things he would do or the sounds that he would make. He would comfort my daughter by use of his facial expressions when she needed a laugh when she was feeling down. He could make babies take notice and giggle by the funny sounds he would make. He was a funny man when he wanted to show his humorous side.
My dad was strong and independent. He was determined to do things himself while he still could and not be a burden to others. It was hard for him and others to watch him lose his independence.
My dad was a fighter. You could see him fight to maintain his independent spirit through his inevitable decline in his health. He was determined to keep fighting until he knew that his great grandchild Owen Paul Kamp and Nicole his mother were safe and in good health after birth.
My dad was a loving man. He loved his wife, his children far and near, his grandchildren, all his family and his good friends. He loved life and he said that he had a good life.
My dad believed in God the Father and his Son Jesus his savior and he said that his life was blessed.
I assure you that my dad believed in God and he hoped that God would forgive him even though he didn't go to church. My dad did try to live his life following God's principles the best that he knew how and understood.
I wrote this because I wanted people to know the character of my dad and for them to understand why I and others loved him so much. Harry will be greatly missed my many. He was a great person, husband, father, grandpa, great grandpa and friend.
Sincerely,
John H. Kamp 12 Sept 2024
