Colin Lee Kamperman

Colin “Coke” Lee Kamperman passed away at home on March 14 after a lengthy illness. He was surrounded by family.

Dr. Kamperman was born on April 7, 1930, to O. Carl and Laura D. Kamperman of Ellwood City, Pa. He graduated from Ellwood City High School in 1947 and Geneva College in 1951, majoring in pre-medicine.

After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 1955 with a medical degree, he was commissioned into the U.S. Navy Medical Corps.

On Sept. 21, 1957, Dr. Kamperman married his wife of 67 years, Jane E. O’Rourke, his favorite student nurse.

He was boarded in family practice and preventive medicine with a sub-specialty in occupational medicine, and he was a lifelong member of the American Academy of Family Practice as well as various other discipline-specific professional organizations.

He set up a family practice in New Kensington, Pa., and soon after joined the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA). In New Kensington, he also was on the staff of Citizen’s General Hospital, where he established a “free clinic” that dispensed no-cost immunizations to local citizens. He became the medical director of ALCOA’s New Kensington Works and then transferred to Maryville in 1972, where he was named medical director of the Tennessee and North Carolina operations.

While in Maryville, Dr. Kamperman volunteered with the Blount County Rescue Squad.

After retiring from ALCOA in 1986, he spent 10 years as the head of occupational medicine at the U.S. Army’s Aberdeen Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Md. After retiring from Aberdeen, Mr. and Mrs. Kamperman returned to Tennessee, settling in Tellico Village.

During this period, Dr. Kamperman volunteered with the Loudon County Rescue Squad. His work with the rescue squad eventually resulted in the creation of the EMT division of the Tellico Village Volunteer Fire Department.

Dr. Kamperman was an avid fly fisherman, artisan of wood carvings, American Red Cross disaster response volunteer, member of the Knights of Columbus, lector, and eucharistic minister at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City.

Dr. and Mrs. Kamperman are the happy parents of Kevin L. Kamperman (Tracye), Cynthia Kamperman Lineberger (Michael), and Brian K. Kamperman (Jennifer). Grandchildren include Colin M. Lineberger (Michelle), Kaitlyn Jo Lineberger (Ben), Kelsey L. Kamperman (Josh Porter), Margaret Kamperman-Hearn (Patrick), Sean G. Kamperman, Kevin L. Kamperman II (Elyssia), and Conor L. Lineberger (Peyton). Great-grandchildren include Callyn Fletcher, Cael Lineberger, Aiyana Lavigne, Caden Lineberger, and Ashlynn Porter.

A funeral Mass for Dr. Kamperman was held on March 21 at St. Thomas the Apostle.

Memorials in Dr. Kamperman’s memory may be made to the American Red Cross.