Bill and Carla (Mueller) Kem have been well known, and beloved, members of the community for many years now. Bill has served as Pastor at the Congregational and Presbyterian churches of Clarion, and Carla has been a volunteer coordinator at Iowa Specialty Hospitals and as an Elementary Paraprofessional Substitute Teacher with the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows (CGD) schools. Together, Bill and Carla raised two children, Connor and Frances, who both graduated from CGD High School.
But now, the time has come for the couple to move on to a new adventure in a new town, and on Friday the 6th Clarion bid them a fond farewell.
A post on the CGD High School page wishing them farewell read, "Tonight we salute Bill and Carla Kem. This dynamic pair loves and supports every student and family in our District. We all hate to see you go because you mean so much to everyone but we wish you well in your new positions. You will be greatly missed!"
Several people posted well wishes and praise in reply. A common theme was delight in the well deserved recognition the Kems received, and that the pair would be missed in Clarion.
"Awesome! What a nice tribute for a great couple," remarked Emily Bernhardt. "CGD will miss the Kem’s!" Jill Dannen Stanton commented in agreement. "This was very cool to.honor two very cool people!" "This is so cool," wrote Peg Clutter. "You will surely be missed!" Stacy Snyder expressed the same sentiment. "So awesome," Snyder wrote, "you will be missed!" As did Melissa Anderson, saying, "love this! They will be missed by all!" "This is really neat," Barb Tanner agreed. "They will be greatly missed by everyone & also me." "They will be missed," Karianne Schoenfelder Johnson echoed. "Love this so much," Miriam Meinke said. "For sure will be missed," Mark Zwiefel also agreed.
Still others lamented the loss to the community, proclaiming the Kems irreplaceable – while also wishing the couple well.
"Huge loss for our community," Beth Ott noted. "Wishing you the best!" Sonja Hofmeister agreed, saying, "two wonderful people who just can’t be replaced!"
Carla Mueller-Kem "I still don't accept this," wrote Trisha Bartz, "but in all honesty I will truly miss you guys."
There were also those who just offered praise, and well wishes.
"Good luck with your new adventure," wrote Ed McCoy, adding, "Bill and Carla are both wonderful people." And "kudos to this amazing couple," declared Joni Jergens Harvey.
Of course, the last word has to belong to the Kems themselves. "We will never forget this night," Wrote Carla. "We love Clarion. Raising Connor and Frances in this great school system with other villagers supporting them along the way was the best! Forever a Cowboy and Cowgirl. Giddy Up!"
