Marlin Eugene Templeton

Col. Marlin Eugene "Gene" Templeton, USAF Ret.
1928 ~ 2015
Gene Templeton died on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at St. Luke's Meridian Hospital, Meridian, Idaho.
Gene was born on October 20, 1928 in Kiowa, Kansas to Marlin O. and Nadine (Hoke) Templeton. He graduated from Kiowa High School in 1946 and received a Bachelors degree from Arizona State. In 1952, with a strong desire to fly, Gene enlisted in the military. He stated he was inspired to be a pilot after years of hunting as a young man and watching fowl fly and land on Kansas ponds. He aspired to fight in War World II like his cousin and relatives but was barely too young. After graduating from Flight School, he flew F-86 Saber Jets in the Korean war where he earned the First Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal for outstanding achievement in combat. Upon returning stateside Gene spent time as a T-39 flight instructor as well as spending 5 years at Mountain Home AFB as a B-47 pilot. In 1967 he was deployed to Vietnam where he flew Bird Dog for the Army First Calvary and ended his tour flying F-100 Jets where he successfully completed over 150 flight missions and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement as a forward air controller. He went to the aid of an allied unit pinned down by fire from heavily fortified enemy positions. Despite intense automatic weapons fire, Gene flew at low altitude over the area to mark the target and direct tactical close air support fire power against the enemy.
The balance of Gene's flying career was spent as a pilot of B-52 bombers. During his highly decorated 30 years as an Air Force Officer he was also a Base Commander and Vice Wing Commander. Upon retiring as a Full Colonel he chose to return to Eagle, Idaho where he enjoyed fishing, hunting and photographing nature. Gene's second career was as Commander of his neighborhood, caring for friends and neighbors and as the Cookie Man when he shared his baked goods with Eagle Businesses.
Gene and Lou, his wife of 47 years, raised two children; Gene Templeton and Sheryl (Templeton) Barrios. He will always be remembered as a very loving and supportive father, grandfather and role model instilling traditional values and patriotism in his family. As grandfather, Gene played a key role in the lives of his four grandchildren: Lauren (Templeton) Garringer, Scott Templeton, Kyle Bollig and Sean Bollig.
Gene was preceded in death by his wife, Lou and grandson, Kyle Bollig.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at Summers Funeral Home, Ustick Chapel, 3629 E Ustick Rd, Meridian, Idaho. Graveside services will follow at Dry Creek Cemetery, 9600 Hill Rd, Boise, Idaho.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Wounded Warrior Project at woundedwarriorproject.org.
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Gene's memorial webpage at www.summersfuneral.com.