December 23, 96, 
Betty Schneider Kemp, 96, passed away on Monday, December 23, 2019 at Kitty Askins Hospice Center.
Betty was born October 19, 1923 in Pasadena, California as the youngest daughter of Florence Diss and Christopher Lee Schneider. She attended Pasadena Junior College where she was President of the Woman’s Service Association and the Student Body. She continued her studies at Occidental College in Los Angeles. Betty married William Powell Kemp Jr. July 5, 1945 and lived briefly in San Marcos, Texas where Bill fulfilled his military obligation. After returning to North Carolina, Betty and Bill completed their college degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, after which, they returned to Goldsboro, began a family and became active volunteers in their community.
For over 30 years Betty served both girl and boy scouting organizations in several capacities. In 1964-65 she was elected President of the Girl Scout Council of Coastal Carolina and acknowledged by WNCT-TV as “Today’s Outstanding North Carolina Citizen” (February 21, 1970). Her Girl Scout Troops earned the highest achievements in Girl Scouting and traveled extensively to such places as Savannah, Washington, D.C., Mexico and nine European countries. She arranged for her troop to have an audience with the Pope, visit the Lady Baden Powell, wife of the founder of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides; and meet the Colonel Gable Jorgensen, head of the Resistance in Denmark at Kromberg Castle. Just as Betty combined her love of travel with scouting, she and her late husband in 2000 endowed and founded the World View Program in order to make travel abroad opportunities possible for public school faculty, administrators, and students. This resulted in dozens of special trips to Europe.
The Wayne County Mental Health Association was another of Betty’s enduring commitments. Along with Dr. Hazel Zealy and others, she was instrumental in forming the local Mental Health Association and served as the second chairman of the Board of Directors from 1973-79. While serving on the local board she initiated many programs such as Operation Santa Claus, the Developmental School and the Flynn Home Half-Way House. She was also a member of the North Carolina State Board of Mental Health.
Many diverse organizations benefitted from her community involvement. Betty was a member of the Board of Foster Grandparents and served as Chairman of the 1959 Wayne County United Way and the 1968 Red Cross Drive. At St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church she served in various roles as Sunday School Teacher, ECW leader, and vestry member.
For 12 years, she served on the Governor’s Council for the Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo. She participated in galas in honor of Princess Anne and Commander Walter Raleigh Gilbert, founder of Newfoundland, as well as many fundraising events for the gardens. Betty entered flower shows as a member of the Pedal Pushers Garden Club of Wayne County and was a lifetime member of the Garden Club of North Carolina. Her love of gardening was often reflected in her paintings and garden.
Betty was the recipient of the following honors and awards: the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the 2008 Girl Scout Woman of Distinction, the 1969 J’Cette Outstanding Woman of the Year for Community Service, and the 1988 Mental Health Award of Outstanding Service to the Mentally III in the State of North Carolina.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband, William Powell Kemp Jr.; son, David Walter Kemp; older sister, Dorothy Schneider Krug and brother, Harold Eugene Schneider. She is survived by three children, Elizabeth Middleton Kemp Neese and husband Jim of Goldsboro; William Powell Kemp III and his wife Carole of New Bern; Sallie Louise Kemp and Lauren Hayes of Connecticut. Grandchildren included: Elizabeth Neese Woodard, Amy Blades McKnight, Anna Josey Kemp, and William Powell Kemp IV. Great-Grandchildren are Charles Berkley and William Kemp Woodard, Ava James and Joseph Kemp.
Our family was especially blessed with those who steadfastly cared for our Mother during her long illness. Their love and vigilance for her well-being was a comfort to her children and enhanced the quality of her life. Our undying gratitude goes to Evelyn Millard, Celestine Reid, Pat Rhodes, Pat Cole and Joyce O’Handly.
The family hopes that all of Betty’s friends will be surrounded by their own families during this holiday season. There will be a memorial service to celebrate her life in the spring at which time the family hopes to greet all who loved and shared her life.
Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.seymourfuneralhome.com.