Col. Kenneth L. Temple USAF [Retired] passed away August 1, 2010 at the Spearfish Regional Hospital ending a full and extraordinary life.

Born January 19, 1919 in Newell, SD, Ken was child number 13 of 14 children. His parents Allen and Elizabeth (Duranty) Temple homesteaded in the Sulphur, SD area. He graduated from Lead High School in 1937. He attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology for one year, and then the University of Wyoming while working summers in the Homestake Gold Mine. He joined the Sigma Chi Fraternity at Wyoming and enjoyed the friendships made at the Fraternity that lasted a lifetime. Ken joined the Army Air Corps in 1941 along with 10 other fraternity brothers and retired from the USAF in 1970.

In March 1942, a few days after Ken graduated from Flying School, he married his high school sweetheart, Virginia Ross. They began their adventurous journey in the Air Force with Ken 's first assignment to Tallahassee, Florida.

Ken enjoyed his Air Force career. He found great pleasure in flying and flew most airplanes in the Air Force inventory during his career. He became a Command pilot after the required 15 years of flying, but took great pride in surpassing the 3000 hour requirement many years prior to the 15 year requirement. During WWII Ken was first in North Africa and then in Italy. Ken went to England in 1948 and was involved in the Berlin Airlift. His assignment as the Commander of the 65th bomb squadron in the 96th Bomb Wing in Tucson, AZ from 1955 to 1957 was one of his favorite assignments. He gained the confidence and support of all of the B-47 crews. The 65th went from last to first under his leadership and stayed there during his two and half year tenure. From Tucson Ken spent time as Director of Operations of the 96th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas, two years at SAC Headquarters at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, and then four years at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.

Ken 's last assignment was in Germany in 1966. The four years he was stationed in Germany brought him the opportunity to learn a new sport for his retirement - downhill skiing. Ken, Bob, and Carolyn took lessons from an Austrian Ski Instructor and then spent most weekends and vacations enjoying the ski slopes in Austria and Switzerland. With skiing came the introduction to Rumtoff (Rum and fruit aged in a clay pot for many months) another activity for retirement! Treating fellow skiers to his Rumtoff was a source of pleasure for him and certainly for them. He referred to it as "Mogul Leveler ".

Upon retiring, Ken and Virginia returned to Lead to live. They traveled extensively across the US until 1972 when they took on management of the Lead Country Club for 3 years. The relaxing and fun part of those years were the winters skiing at Lake Tahoe. Golf and skiing became his primary activities for the next 30 years. Ken and his sons attended PGA golf tournaments and also played some great courses across the country. Summers were spent playing the Lead CC course with much time added coaching grandchildren and other "learners ".

In 1983 Florida became the winter home and golf the year round activity with a month each year for skiing Terry Peak in South Dakota, Bridger Bowl, Montana and Okemo, Vermont. Family and friends were always an important part of his activities, and some of them were always present.

After Virginia 's passing in 1986 Ken continued his `snowbird' routine between Lead and Florida with trips to visit his 3 children scattered coast to coast.

Ken and Joyce were married in 1988. They continued living between Lead in the summers and Florida in the winters with golf being the main activity and a ski trip every winter until Ken was 85. One spur of the moment trip was going to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary Canada. The most adventurous trip was traveling Space A to Okinawa to visit Carolyn and family and a side trip to Korea. Ken was a spontaneous planner and acted accordingly many times leaving on a trip by afternoon when the thought only occurred in the morning. Travel by car was his mode of choice thus logging thousands of miles on each of his cars.

Ken lived his life to the fullest measure. He was a beloved grandfather and an active participant in their lives always encouraging them and mentoring them to stay focused on their education and future to reach their highest potential.

Ken is survived by his family who loved him deeply and respected him at the highest level: wife, Joyce; sons, Kenny [Janet] and Bob [Barb]; and daughters, Carolyn Phaneuf [Bob] and Temple White. His 9 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; Kenny's children, Mark, Garth, Kenny (KJ) and Angela; Garth's children, Daniel and Griffin; Carolyn's children, Aaron, Sarah and Ben; Sarah's child, Bennett; Temple's children, Taylor and Karns; sister, Dorothy Springer of McMinnville, Oregon, and many nieces and nephews.

Ken was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia; his parents, Allen and Elizabeth; brothers, Allen, Merle, Herbert, Harold, Clarence, Glen and Clifford; sisters; Arlene,Bernice, Ethel, Vera and Fern.

A Memorial Service for Ken will be held August 16 at 1:30 PM at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel in Spearfish with interment at the Black Hills National Cemetery at 3:00 PM. A reception at the Lead Country Club 19th Hole Clubhouse will follow interment. In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established to the Wounded Warior Project or a charity of ones choosing.