Robert K. Temple

Bob Temple died on Sunday, March 16, 2014, just months shy of his 97th birthday. Bob was born in Amesbury, Mass. on June 1, 1917, son of George Howard Temple, Sr. and Edna Temple. He attended Amesbury High School, Worcester Academy and Dartmouth College.

His association with the White Mountains began at an early age and continued throughout his life. He worked for the Appalachian Mountain Club for years while living in Jackson with his wife, Virginia, and daughters.

He moved with his family to Foxboro, Mass. in 1953 where he was employed at the Foxboro Company. He never forgot his New Hampshire roots and always maintained a home in Jackson.

After he retired from the company, he moved back to the place he loved best, Jackson. Bob is survived by his three daughters, Ann, Karen and Christy; his eight grandchildren; his nine great-grandchildren; his best friend, Digger. His wife, Ginny, died in 2006.

If you would like to honor Bob’s memory, a donation to your local humane society would be appreciated.

“It is the end of an era for the O.H. Association with the passing of Bob Temple on March 16th, 2014 a few months shy of his 97th birthday. He was born in Amesbury, Mass in June of 1917. He was educated in the Amesbury Schools, Worcester Academy and Dartmouth College.

Bob’s association with, and his love for the White Mountains began in 1924 when he first visited Jackson, NH with his parents, and continued for his whole life.

Bob worked at the AMC’s Madison Springs Hut for Joe Dodge in 1938 and in 1939. He helped build the Hutman’s Cabin and worked cleaning up the 1938 Hurricane. He worked on the summit of Mt. Washington for the Yankee Network and helped build the Yankee Network building on the summit.

With America’s entry into WWII, Bob was recruited by M.I.T. to work on support and logistics for classified projects related to the war effort. Among his adventures was a voyage oversees on the Pam Am flying clipper to train R.A.F. Radar Operators and surviving Nazi bombing raids on England.

Bob stayed on with M.I.T. until 1947 when he returned to the White Mountains to work for Joe Dodge at Pinkham Notch Camp, as Joe’s assistant. By now, Bob was married to the former Virginia Grant, a cousin of Joe’s wife Teen, and they had two young daughters, Anne (who is an O.H) and Karen. A third daughter Christy was born in 1949. Ginny passed away in 2006 and Bob is survived by his three daughters, eight grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren as well as his faithful dog Digger.

As Assistant Huts Manager, Bob was Joe’s right hand man and as he was mechanically inclined, capable, and physically fit, he ran all over the hut system, keeping things running.

In 1953 Bob was recruited along with fellow O.H. Sam Goodhue and Vin Lamnna to work for the Foxboro Company in Foxborough, Mass. At the Foxboro Company, Bob was a trouble shooter, working in quality control and traveled extensively overseas on company business.

Bob kept his Jackson property while employed with the Foxboro Company and upon his retirement, he moved with Ginny to his beloved Boulder Brook Farm on Thorn Hill Road in Jackson, NH. He ran a tractor, trucking and bark mulch delivery service and stood his ground on what he thought was right for the Town of Jackson.

He was at every Spring Brawl, faithfully cooking the clams and lobsters and as he got older and more rickety, he greatly enjoyed raising hell and yelling at me and everyone else helping because we weren’t doing it right.
He made it up to the OH Cabin for last year’s reunion on his own steam. Bob was one of our last living links to a great number of OH and to Hut History. He was cantankerous, knowledgeable, wise, kind, helpful and ………a pain in the ass, all at once. He loved every minute of it….and so did we. ”

I’ll miss him – John Lamanna, Jackson, NH
There will be a remembrance gathering for Bob at his home in Jackson on Saturday May 10th, 2014.