Josh Duhamel Mourns Death of Stepdad Who 'Pulled' Him from 'Wrong Side of the Tracks Into a Life with Possibility'

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"We will miss this man dearly. Thank you for all you did for us Big George," wrote the actor

<p>Ethan Miller/Getty </p> Josh Duhamel on Sept. 29, 2023

Ethan Miller/Getty

Josh Duhamel on Sept. 29, 2023

Josh Duhamel is mourning the death of his stepdad.

The Shotgun Wedding actor, 51, shared on Instagram April 22 that he "said goodbye today to my stepfather George Kemper."

Duhamel described his stepdad as an "incredible man with a larger than life personality and a laugh that filled the room."

"He pulled my mother Bonny, my sister Ashlee, and myself from the wrong side of the tracks into a life with possibility," he continued.

"He also gave me two other beautiful sisters, McKenzee and Kassidy," wrote Duhamel. "We will miss this man dearly. Thank you for all you did for us Big George."

Related: Jennifer Garner Mourns Death of Dad William at 85: A 'Kind and Brilliant Man, Father and Grandfather'

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Kemper died at age 74 from brain cancer on April 9, at his winter home in San Tan Valley, Arizona, according to an obituary. He was the longtime owner and operator of Kemper Construction, "one of the oldest, multigenerational, family-owned construction companies in North Dakota."

<p>Pascal Le Segretain/Getty</p> Josh Duhamel and wife Audra Mari on June 20, 2023

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

Josh Duhamel and wife Audra Mari on June 20, 2023

"George's personality was as big as his laugh, and everyone knew to whom it belonged," reads his obituary. "Nobody got the last word in when you were around George because he just left the room when he was done talking."

Duhamel is dad to 10-year-old son Axl, whom he shares with ex Fergie, and he welcomed son Shepherd Lawrence with wife Audra on Jan. 11.

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