Obituary of James Douglas Templeton
James Douglas Templeton, known to all as Jim, passed away in Florida this past Saturday after a very short illness. He is survived by his wife, Jane Powell Templeton, his son, John Douglas Templeton, and his sister Gayle Nabors. Jim is also survived by three step-children and their families, including nine grandchildren who were all delighted to call him Grandpa. Jim’s daughter, Jacqueline, preceded him in death.
Jim was the first in his family to go to college. He was a Clemson man, a catcher for the undefeated baseball team, a devout lifelong fan of his tigers and an avid golfer. Jim is also a Korean War Veteran having served his country in the US Army.
Jim was proud to admit he was a textile man. His family had been in textiles for several generations and his grandfather is credited with designing the single loom from which the first seamless movie screens were made. Jim’s professional expertise afforded him significant recognition both in the engineering community and the textile industry. His proudest moments came from his affiliation with the Champion Thread Company in Gastonia, N.C. where he remained a producing member of their team until the day he died.
Jim’s most cherished possessions were his relationships with family and friends. The welfare of those he loved and embraced was his paramount focus and traveling to lend a helping hand, or just to be there, was automatic. All of us who knew him well will miss those rides around the country where he visited so many.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 29, 2016 at 10:00 am at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Cocoa, FL. A celebration of life reception will be held on September 10, 2016 at 5:00 pm at the Tryon Country Club in Tryon, NC. In Jim’s honor, there is a fund to establish a PGA first tee program at the Tryon Country Club. The intent is to encourage young golfers to learn the game, the rules, and the polite behaviors surrounding the game.The family asks that in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to support this venture on his GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/2gbbf2c