G.W. Templeton

GARNER – G.W. “Bill” Templeton, 89, of Garner died Saturday (October 20, 2007) at the Concord Care Center in Garner.

Memorial services will be held 10:30 A.M., Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in Garner with Rev. David Wagner officiating. Inurnment will be in Concord Township Cemetery. Military rites will be conducted by the Garner Veterans Ceremonial Unit.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 P.M., Tuesday at the United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall in Garner with a Masonic service at 7 P.M. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church. Cataldo Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be directed to Hospice of North Iowa or to donor’s choice in his name.

George William Templeton, the son of George A. and Carolyn (Morris) Templeton, was born May 30, 1918 at Panora. He attended school at Panora until 1929 when he moved with his family to Perry. He graduated from Perry High School in 1935 and continued his education for a year at the University of Iowa. Bill then transferred to Drake University where he graduated with a law degree in 1942. In his senior year of law school Bill was elected president of his law class. A week after graduating from law school, he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps serving his country as an instructor of single and multi-engine aircraft. Bill was very proud to have served his country during WW II. On May 3, 1944 he married Dorothy Mae Swift at Strother Field, KS. In January of 1946, they moved to Garner where Bill had his own law practice until retiring in 1983. He enjoyed flying airplanes, wintering in Arizona, traveling, woodworking, annual deer hunting trips and, in his younger years, playing in the Garner Old Timer’s Band.

Bill was an active member of the United Methodist Church where he served in many capacities over the years. He served on the board of directors at Hancock County National Bank for 20 years, the Garner Fire Department for 20 years, was the school board secretary from 1946 to 1975 and was county attorney from 1950 to 1962. He also belonged to the Garner American Legion, Iowa State Bar Association, Hancock County Bar Association, Bethel Masonic Lodge in Garner for 50 years where he also served as past Master and Za-Ga-Zig Shrine.

He is survived by his two sons, John (Darlene) Templeton of Round Rock, TX and Steve (Bev) Templeton of Garner; and five grandchildren and their families, Ryan (Erin) Templeton and their two children, Quinn and Carsen of Pflugerville, TX, Bob (Marsha) Templeton and their two children, Camden and Braden of Round Rock, TX, Cari Templeton (fiancé, Mitch Klemme) of Preston, IA, Amy Templeton of West Des Moines and Erin Templeton of Washington, IL.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy, Oct. 10, 1993; his mother, Carolyn, in 1969; his father, George, in 1964; and a brother, Morris, in 1996.