Kimberly Amy McQueen Templeton

Kimberly Amy McQueen Templeton

Oct. 16, 1973 - Aug. 20, 2023

Surrounded by her mother, sister and children, Kimberly Amy McQueen Templeton passed away peacefully this past August, after a long battle with illness.

Born in Grass Valley, "Amy" was a longtime resident of Nevada County though she spent the last decade of her life in the storied mining town of Mina in Mineral County, Nevada. There, with longtime life-partner and husband, Bob, she welcomed all sorts of family and friends and guided them off to the hundreds of miles of ATV trails, and the (secret!) mines where many old and new treasures could be found. She enjoyed cultivating and displaying her own treasures in her gardens filled with desert flowers and many of the special rocks and gems she'd collected with her father, Ernie, and family over the years.

Amy was a self-styled Country Girl and dog mama; a den mother to the softball teams, proud mother and wife and sometimes burro-fighter (you have to keep them off your outbuildings in Mina!). She was the queen of all things tape - from duct to electrical, masking to packing and even known to use a little guerilla glue from time to time. Un-packing a box from Amy was an adventure in and of itself. Amy was a woman who knew the difference between a (Cornish) pastie and a (burlesque) pastie! Amy had her own ways and she pretty much kept to them her whole life.

When not in Mina, Amy and Bob (and adorable schnauzer dog "Rip") would be organizing the fun festivities and meals for the various softball tournaments and teams on which Bob played. From the championships at St. George to the ball diamonds in Colorado, from Montana to Vegas, she, Bob and Ripper took the towns and ball fields by storm when they came a-caravanning into town. "Kimmy" (to her good friends) and pals left an undeniable path of laughter and tears in their wake. No tempest could compete with the gale that Amy could create when she was on a roll. From being lost in a black light miniature golf venue, to identifying and reporting a cheating team (and getting them kicked out of the tournament), Amy was a force no one could deny. Amongst the greatest joys of her later years was helping Bob "fix his swing" which helped capture yet another softball championship, and also when Bob was selected to play for the All American team, filling her with pride. She and Bob were even able to squeeze in a trip to, and play catch on, the "Field of Dreams" ballfield in Iowa.

Traveling was always a great joy for Amy - family camping trips and visits to the grandkids were always tops on Amy's to-do list. Card games, pool parties and just chilling were favorite past times when visiting family and close friends; and everyone enjoyed when Amy would host a get-together or break out her famous green bean casserole (really, I think she made it first!).

Amy was known as a fiercely independent and resolute woman. She was never shy with an opinion or to share one, and her most important relationships reflected this tenaciousness and determination. Throughout her life though, she was unyielding in her love of and for her family. She loved her children Katelynn and Christopher dearly and was so proud of them and the lives they had created. In all the ways she was capable, Amy was a loyal and loving daughter, sister, cousin, aunt, grandma, wife and mother. Her passing leaves a great void in the lives of those who knew her and she will be terribly missed.

Kimberly Amy Templeton was pre-deceased by her daughter, Briana and her father, Ernie (they are riding quads and playing cards together somewhere), and survived by her mother, Joy, her loving and ever present husband, Bob, her sister, Melissa (along with her children) and also by her own children, Katelynn and Christopher (and their partners Pam and Brandee and children Layne and Ariana). Also grieving Amy is her stepmother, Linda, her aunt, Leslee and uncle, Fred, her cousins, Becky and Steve, and Nate and Heather and their children, and her stepson, Aaron and his partner, Jene, and grandchildren, Bernice, Chester, Farrah and Alli. Amy's family footprints loom large as she will also be missed by her step-brothers and step-sister, Jeff, Jason and Elizabeth and all of their family members. To her friends and family, we hope your hearts are filled with love and compassion and memories of joy and laughter.