TEMPLETON, Bob

It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that on the morning of Sunday August 4th my father, Bob Templeton, passed away peacefully at his home in Penetanguishene, Ontario. Dad died exactly (I mean exactly) how he predicted he wanted to pass. Like Babe Ruth pointing to the left field bleachers he called his end and passed away peacefully and pain free in the town he always dreamed he would retire in. With a Judy Wiseman kiss on the forehead, his final words were “I love everybody” followed by the perfectly scripted end of a movie scene where he looked at the garden and said, “look at the beautiful flowers” before he left his home for the final time. As a young man, dad was an accomplished Jr B hockey goaltender, pole vaulter and golfer. If you could somehow twist his arm for a ‘final final’ drink on a Saturday night wing ding he would say in all three sports he was a breath away from the pro’s! “You know son, for a few weeks I was a 6 handicap”, followed by “I know dad…… I know”. Lol. Professionally he began his career in a town called Brockville, Ontario where he met his first love Valerie Thompson (mom). From there he became a radio D.J. in the mountains of Revelstoke, British Columbia where they had three small children (Yvonne, Billy and Bobby Jr.) with very limited money. Over the next 20 years, our family resided in Revelstoke, Orillia, Midland, Aurora, Woodstock, Sudbury and eventually landing in Halifax, Nova Scotia where this once D.J. in a little mountain town was now the President of NewCap Broadcasting with over 50 radio stations and 500 employees under his leadership. My father was a larger than life character that touched so many lives. His charisma, sense of humour and his thirst for adventure was infectious. Everybody that had the privilege to enter in his atmosphere for even a night, week, years or a lifetime would agree. He drove Harley Davidsons, Sea-Doo’s, Boats, Corvettes, and was even a pilot of his very own float plane. As I type this today, I reminisce as a child coming home from school to my dad saying, “Hey, lets go for a flight” just seemed normal. This of course was followed by an hour in the air of dad doing ‘roller coasters’ just to get my stomach in knots and eventually him (not me) him saying, “hey, take off your seatbelt, lets see if we can get you floating in the air ”. Over the past few days, I’ve been inundated with family and loved ones sharing and reminiscing us in tales of how much dad meant to them and how he was this larger than life figure if only for a brief moment in their lives. To us he was just dad!. We loved him dearly and he will be forever missed. He loved his three children more than life itself and adored his grandchildren Bradon, Coralee and Micaela. We want to thank everyone who has reached out and shared their stories and condolences over these past few days. My father truly was a force of nature, a tornado in the eye of a hurricane, who’s impact on our lives will be forever missed.

As Frank would say:

And now, the end is near, And so I face the final curtain. My friend, I’ll say it clear, I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain. I’ve lived a life that’s full, I traveled each and every highway, And more, much more than this……… I did it my way.

Rest in peace dad.

Special thanks to Jennifer his PSW and to Dr. Gaffney and the great staff at GBGH.

Arrangements entrusted to The Carson Funeral Home J.H. Lynn Chapel, 290 First St., Midland (705) 526-6551.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to GBGH Foundation or the animal care program of your choice.