KEMP'S WIFE PREPARED FOR ROLE, MOM SAYS.

Byline: Virginia Gonzalez Daily News Staff Writer

Lois Main spent Saturday at her Fillmore home answering calls of congratulation and support for her daughter Joanne Kemp, who is perfectly suited to be a vice president's wife, according to the proud mother.

Joanne ``has always had a good head,'' said the 83-year-old Main. ``She's able to manage things well and she's well prepared for public life.''

Joanne Kemp, the wife of Republican vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp, grew up in Fillmore, a small farming community of about 13,000 residents in Ventura County northwest of Los Angeles.

A scholar at Fillmore High School, Joanne took her high marks to Occidental College where she earned a degree in education and fell in love with Jack Kemp, a red-haired physical education major.

``He was an ordinary college boy (who) seemed nice (and was) not too forward,'' Main said of the crew-cut and athletic Kemp.

Main said devotion to sports of all kinds ran in her family. Her late husband Donovan shared Kemp's love of football. The choice of Jack Kemp for a husband was a cinch for Joanne Main, who was a song and yell leader at the Eagle Rock Occidental College campus where Kemp was the quarterback of the team.

The young couple, one year apart in school, were married soon after Joanne graduated in 1958 and shortly before Kemp entered the military, Main said.

Joanne and Jack have four children: Jennifer, Judith, Jeffrey and James. As do their parents, all have the initials J.K.

Lois Main said Jack Kemp likes to eat Mexican food at a local restaurant when he and his family are in Fillmore.

``When he visits these days, he's just like most people. He likes good healthy food. He particularly likes enchiladas and seafood,'' said Main.

``He loves the pool here, swims around quite a bit,'' Main said. ``He and Joanne love the view of the valley we have up here.''

Although Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole announced the selection of Kemp as his running mate Saturday morning, Main said she learned earlier through a phone call from her daughter that Kemp would be Dole's selection.

Calls from well-wishing relatives and friends flooded Main's home Saturday.

``Folks in town are excited about it, and the church minister even keeps me up to date on Jack's activities on the computer since I don't have one at the house,'' Main said.

``We all think that the Dole and Kemp team is a winning combination, and we look forward to representing the Republican party this time around,'' Main said.

The Kemp daughters and Main shared thoughts in a telephone conversation Friday about how Jack Kemp's political spotlight will affect their lives.

``We really think it's wonderful, but I can tell you that I'm just going to watch it on television here from home,'' Main said.

Main said there is sufficient space in her home for the family's increasing number of mementos, including gifts friends pick up on vacations throughout the United States.

Main's car bumper may be blank, but her laundry room window sports a brightly colored sticker that a friend picked up in Branson, Mo., recently.

It reads, ``Dole-Kemp 1996.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1) Joanne Dole smiles at a Republican rally Satu rday. She stays in touch with her mother in Fillmore.

Associated Press 

(2) Joanne Kemp

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