Class of 1966
1966 Maroon Spotlight
Cynthia Zemp
F. H. A. ’64 – ’66, G. R. A. ’64 – ’66, Home Economics Style Shows ’63 – ’66.
1966 Graduation EditionPerry Daily Journal
Mr. and Mrs. Paul H. Zemp are parents of Cynthia Jo Ann Zemp. They live on route 3, Perry. She was born October 15, 1947 in Perry. She has been a member of the Girls Recreation association since 1964, FHA 1964-66, style shows 1963-66, 4-H club seven years, vice president of Lucky Pioneer 4-H 1964-65, secretary Fairview 4-H 1965-66, and winner of many ribbons for poultry and sheep exhibits. She also received medals in food preservation and poultry. In December, 1965, she was a member of a girl’s poultry judging team which placed first in the state. Home economics is her favorite subject and bowling, roller skating, swimming, and horseback riding are hobbies. She plans to become a nurses aide, build her beef cattle herd, attend a business school and later to study poultry science at Oklahoma State university.
Cynthia Joann (Zemp) Hembree
October 15, 1947 – April 1, 2025
Cynthia Jo Ann Hembree, 77, departed this life unexpectedly on April 1, 2025, in Norman, Oklahoma.
Born in Perry, Oklahoma, on October 15, 1947, she was the daughter of the late Paul Henry Zemp, Sr. and Lillian May (Melugin) Zemp. Cynthia’s spirit was shaped in the nurturing embrace of Perry Schools, where she graduated in 1966, immediately followed by studying business at Oklahoma State University School of Technical Training. Later she continuing her academic journey by earning an associate’s degree in business from Northern Oklahoma College in 1989.
Cynthia’s professional life was a testament to her industrious nature; she proudly co-owned and operated Hembree Tank Trucks with her husband, where her dedication to hard work mirrored her instinctive kindness. Alongside this venture, she also served as a census taker, further contributing to the tapestry of her state.
Her life was a rich fabric woven with diverse interests. She was not only a meticulous vegetable gardener who took joy in canning her harvest but also a masterful creator in crocheting, beading, crafts, and ceramics. She raised livestock with love, including chickens, goats, potbelly pigs, sheep, and cattle, showcasing her nurturing spirit not only for her family but also for all living beings that crossed her path.
Cynthia was a mother, a grandmother, and a friend who radiated sweetness and kindness. She leaves behind her treasured daughters: Jessica Hembree of South Korea and her husband Terry Lee, Crystal Hembree of Okmulgee, and Brandi Hembree and her husband Onder Catmabacak of Moore. She adored her grandchildren Benjamin Michael Sun Lee, Lillian Thompson, Muriel Thompson, and Michael Thompson. They were the twinkling light in her life, alongside her granddog Ethel Hembree and her adoring grandcats: Willow St. John, Marlow St. John, and Junior St. John.
Continuing her legacy are her brother Paul Zemp, Jr. of Perry and his wife Toni, two sisters-in-law in Texas, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends who will undoubtedly carry her memory forward with love and laughter. Her cherished pets, Peekaboo (dog) and Blackie (cat), always by her side, were indeed beneficiaries of her compassionate heart.
Cynthia was reunited in heaven with her late parents, husband Eddie Glenn Hembree, and her beloved corgi, Hutch.
The family requests donations to St. Jude’s Children Hospital, as their work was cherished by Cynthia.