Jean C. Hempstead, a longtime, prominent member of the Ames community, died Friday, April 25, at Northcrest Health Care Center in Ames. A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Monday, April 28, at the United Church of Christ -- Congregational, Sixth and Kellogg, in Ames.
A gathering of family and friends will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 27, at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care, 414 Lincoln Way.
Jean was born Aug. 6, 1904, in Woden, the eldest son of the Rev. Carl W. and Mertie L. Hempstead. He was educated in Iowa schools, graduating from Elkader High School in 1921, and earning a B.S. in civil engineering from Iowa State College in 1926. He started his teaching career as an instructor of mathematics at Drexel Institute in Philadelphia, Pa., and during that time received a Master of Arts degree in mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania. He returned to Iowa State as an instructor of general engineering in 1930.
In 1942, he was called to military service and served as an administrative officer, Bombardment Department, AAF School Applied Tactics, in Orlando, Fla. He returned to Iowa State in February 1946 as associate professor of industrial engineering, and continued in reserve military activities, eventually becoming personnel officer of an Air Force reserve wing headquartered in Omaha, Neb. This unit was called to active duty in the spring of 1951 and was promptly broken up. Major Hempstead was assigned to the Office of the Comptroller, HQ 15th Air Force, March AFB, Calif., doing statistical studies and inspections of maintenance activities at the 15th Air Force bases. After a year he was assigned as an instructor of marine engineering at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., teaching fluid mechanics and thermodynamics.
In February 1955, he was assigned to the newly formed teaching staff of United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. He remained there until his retirement in August 1964, having served as associate professor of mathematics and faculty executive officer. He was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two oak leaf clusters. Lt. Col. Hempstead was a life member of the American Legion, the Military Order of World Wars, the Reserve Officers Association, and a member of the Retired Officers Association.
After his military retirement he returned to Iowa State University for nine more years of teaching and advising and retired in 1973. As an undergraduate student he was made a member of Scabbard and Blade and Tau Beta Pi; as a graduate student, Pi Mu Epsilon and Phi Kappa Phi; and as a faculty member, Cardinal Key and he received the Faculty Citation in 1971. Jean was a member of Theta Xi social fraternity. He was a Registered Professional Engineer, a life member of the Iowa Engineering Society and the American Association for Engineering Education, and a past member of the National Society of Professional Engineers.
Jean was an active member of the United Church of Christ -- Congregational of Ames, and Kiwanis International. He served as lieutenant governor of Kiwanis in 1974-75 and was named "Distinguished Lieutenant Governor" the following year. He served as secretary of the Ames Kiwanis Club from 1969 to 1974.
Jean married Edna L. Walton of Belle Plaine Sept. 8, 1928. They shared 59 years together before her death Feb. 27, 1988. He was also preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and two brothers.
He is survived by several nieces and nephews, and many friends.