Paul C. Hempel, 91, of Nederland, died Tuesday, September 13, 2016. He was born on June 17, 1925, in Giddings, to Selma Mathilde Mertink Hempel and Reinhold A. Hempel.
Paul was a United States Army veteran serving in the 30th Infantry Division during World War II. He served as a runner and radio operator in the Battle of the Bulge. Paul retired from Gulf Oil as a supervisor after twenty-eight years of service. He was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, where he served as a trustee, choir member, and sound booth operator. Paul enjoyed fishing and cooking barbeque.
Survivors include his daughters, Kay Brown of Nederland; Patti Wolfe and her husband, Kirby, of Groves; Susan Ludwig and her husband, Ken, of Silsbee; Nancy Beckcom of Port Neches; and Becky Neeb and her husband, Dennis, of Groves; sons, David Hempel and his wife Irene, of Giddings and Norman Hempel of Spurger; grandchildren, Amber and Jessica Brown, Amy Billing, John Hempel, Juli Schkade, Peter and Phillip Wolfe, Brett and Ethan Becker, Paul and Curtis Beckcom, and Amanda and Blake Neeb; eleven great-grandchildren; and brother, Albert Hempel and his wife, Bea, of New Braunfels.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife of fifty-six years, Dorothy Hempel; sister, Ruby Boyd; and step-mother, Clara Moerbe Hempel.
A gathering of Mr. Hempel's family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, September 15, 2016, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 2711 Helena Avenue, Nederland. His funeral service will be 1:00 p.m., Friday, September 16, 2016, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, with his interment to follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park, Port Neches, under the direction of Broussard's, 505 North 12th Street, Nederland.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Hempel’s memory to Holy Cross Early Childhood, 2711 Helena Avenue, Nederland, Texas 77627.
