On September 20th, 2026, we laid my father to rest. While he wasn’t a man of many words, I had a few to share about his influence in my life and I think the world should know who he really was too.
My father was a disciplined man. And that word, discipline, is perhaps the truest description of who he was and how he lived.
My dad was thorough in everything he did & he considered his choices carefully before standing firmly by them. While yes, he could be stern at times, beneath that firmness was a man who loved his family with a quiet, unwavering devotion. To know him was to understand that everything he did, he did with purpose.
He was philosophical, too, forever turning things over in his mind, seeking meaning in the ordinary details of life, and thinking critically was a big part of growing up. Even as kids who didn’t quite know what that meant.
But I also remember when he would wake my brother Seth and I early in the morning to practice karate, to which he had a black belt. I will be honest, I was not a fan. Not one bit. But what I understood only later in life was that he was giving us something far greater than a few movements, exercise and time to bond.
He was teaching us structure, discipline, self-defense, integrity and the responsibility of defending others. That practice shaped me into the person I am today, and I am so grateful he had the wisdom and the patience to wake us up and see it through, even if I didn’t see it at the time. Much like not realizing the life we had was something people wish for.
That’s because my father built a life for us that many people could dream of. He moved the family from West Baltimore to twenty-six acres in northern Baltimore County, and there he gave his children something rare: a childhood surrounded by nature. We played outside for hours. We sledded down the hill in winter. We walked the NCR trail and hiked down to the stream.
Those days are woven into who I am, and they exist because of the life he chose to build for us through struggle, adversity & challenges. Despite all of that, he quietly persisted & persevered.
While he didn’t want to be defined by his military service, I can’t help but think of how much it shaped him, and shaped him as a father. As a Vietnam vet, he served honorably. My dad was in charge of camp security in a recognized combat zone and accrued 3 medals for his service. As far as we know, he was one of the first few Black commissioned officers in the Navy from the state of Maryland to go to Vietnam.
That kind of pressure would be a lot for anyone to carry. But that discipline, integrity and leadership experience as a Lieutenant came home with him to shape him into the man & father that I would look up to.
Upon returning home, his career in education spanned decades. He taught at several colleges in the state of Maryland, including Coppin State, Bowie State, Towson University, a few community colleges and most notably, UMBC. And though he may not have been the most social man, his students loved him. His classes were consistently overenrolled. They lined up at office hours for in-depth conversation. He influenced countless lives through his work, quietly shaping students and colleagues in the same steady way he shaped his own sons.
Believe it or not, my dad was not particularly a man of many words. But I knew he loved us, my mom and there is so much I will miss. I will miss his example of living a disciplined life with integrity. I will miss his unique sense of humor and the laughter around our dinner table. I will miss watching him give my mother thoughtful gifts, small proofs of a love that ran deep and quiet. And I will miss simply seeing him enjoy the nature he loved so much but a lot of what he loved will live on in us.
So I want my father to be remembered as a man who took care of his family. He gave us a life to be grateful for, fond memories, the gift of growing up in nature, and the example of a man who accomplished a great deal in his years. While he may not have sought the spotlight, his influence reached far into our lives and the lives of many others. My dad told my brother & I countless times how proud of us he was but I hope he knows how proud we were to call him our father.
Dad, Seth and I want you to know that we will do what you asked of us. We will help take care of Mom. We will hold onto the house and the land for as long as we possibly can, so that the Templeton legacy you began can keep growing for generations to come. We will take care of each other and we will honor you for the rest of our lives. The way you taught us.
Today as we lay my dad to rest, I take comfort in knowing that a life lived with such purpose does not simply end. It carries forward in everyone he touched, in the values he instilled, and in the land he loved. It is an example of how I want to live my life.
We love you and we’ll miss you, Dad. Thank you for everything and may you rest in peace.”
Roye Stansbury Templeton
October 22, 1943 – September 7, 2026
https://www.evansfuneralchapel.com/obituaries/Roye-Stansbury-Templeton?obId=49598363
P.S. Thank you to my amazing clients, colleagues & friends who have given me the privacy, patience & support anyone could ever ask for. I’ll be getting back to work soon please just bare with me a little bit longer.
