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RIP, Mike Temple
Mike Temple, longtime treasured member of our WetLeather "family", died on July 5th, 2003 after valiantly fighting a multiple organ shutdown.
A memorial service was held on Thursday, July 10 at 11 AM at
Daniels Chapel of Roses in Santa Rosa, CA
Linda Temple wrote:
There is a program that Mike especially liked and he was even a
beneficiary of it while in the hospital. It is:
The Humane Society of Sonoma County
Pet Assisted Therapy Program
P O Box 1296
Santa Rosa CA 95402
Three different dogs came into Mike's room at the hospital in Kaiser and visited with him helping him to relax and temporarily just enjoy the warm fuzzy unconditional love of a dog therapist. Mike has always liked this program for the benefit seniors got from it. I don't think he ever thought he would be benefiting from it too.
Gooz wrote: two favorite memories of mike: beth and i were riding to the BA after last year's Gather and we caught and passed mike on the road. i remember what a dashing figure he cut motoring along on his guzzi with it's egg-like baby trailer in tow, mike sitting up ramrod straight and as dignified as you could possibly imagine... a couple hours later we came upon him again after a stop. actually, we came upon his rig with no mike in sight. beth and i turned around to check on him only to see mike coming sheepishly out of the bushes where he'd gone to 'see a man about a horse'. later he jokingly complained he couldn't hide behind a bush w/o finding WL.
On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 21:46:35 -0700 Michael Pierce wrote: All, Judy and I just returned from Santa Rosa after attending a wonderful, bittersweet memorial service and reception for Mike Temple. Below is the text of the eulogy I offered on behalf of WetLeather. __________________________________________ In Memory of Mike Temple Linda, we've not met until today and I must admit that I never met Mike face to face. Even though I didn't meet Mike in person, I am so very proud to have been able to consider him my friend. My name is Michael Pierce and I'm here to pay homage to Mike on behalf of his motorcycle riding extended family. For those of you who may not know: For the last several years Mike belonged to group of motorcyclists called "WetLeather". WetLeather is what you get if you ride your motorcycle much in the Pacific Northwest. (Or during a California winter.) WetLeather is a state of mind; it's a cocktail party; it's a motorcycle race team. And more. WetLeather is a Greater Pacific Northwest-centric collection of unique individuals who mostly share some characteristics like - Having warped senses of humor and social propriety, We share an unusually high appreciation for the joys of cooking and the results thereof, And we share a penchant for two-wheeled locomotion. Most of all, WetLeather is a bunch of unique and very special people who have become a 'self chosen family' through our shared passion for motorcycles, food and most importantly fellowship. Mike was one of us. He was the epitomy of WetLeather. He talked with us about chain adjusters and politics and tires and wine and family and good food and great beer and shaft drive and what the best motorcycle on earth would be. It's a huge list and it covers hundreds if not thousands of subjects. Mike would stun us sometimes with his snappy comebacks and at other times he'd make us blush - when with a gentle nudge he'd point out just how much of a boob we were being. Mike shared with us the joy of riding his beautiful Moto Guzzi on the fabulous roads of California. When he told us about his accident a couple of years ago, he said that although his wonderful and loved Guzzi was dead - he was going to be ok - so not to worry. It wasn't too much later that Mike traveled over a thousand miles to be with his WetLeather family at our annual three-day celebration known as "The Gather". There he was (and we have pictures to prove it) smiling and laughing and being Mike through and through - though his arm was still in a splint. Mike was full of humor and intelligence and eloquence. He shared his opinions openly and he always offered a supportive word to those who needed one. Mike was an important and frequent contributor to WetLeather both in person and through his email writings. Mike's death marks a first for those of us who consider the members of WetLeather to be our 'family'. WetLeather, as a group, has never suffered the heartache of losing one of our own. Now we have. On Monday we received an email from Linda telling us of Mike's passing. The response was immediate and heartfelt. I'd like to share with you the feeling of just a few of the emails that have been posted regarding Mike: >From Beth "Wolverine" Dixon: (by the way, I'll warn you now - Beth's motorcycle has a rather off color name.) Beth says: "I can't be in Santa Rosa Thursday morning for Mike's memorial service But I can do something. (She's going for a ride.) Beth then goes on to say: "The Slut" and I will be somewhere between the east end of Poudre Canyon, and the top of Cameron Pass, here in Colorado. I think Mike would like that." >From Ed "MotherGooz" Guzman A story in two parts: "Beth and I were riding to the Bay Area after last year's Gather and we caught and passed Mike on the road. I remember what a dashing figure he cut motoring along on his Guzzi with it's egg-like baby trailer in tow, Mike sitting up ramrod straight and as dignified as you could possibly imagine... (And now "The rest of the story"): A couple hours later we came upon him again after a stop. Actually, we came upon his rig with no Mike in sight. Beth and I turned around to check on him only to see Mike coming sheepishly out of the bushes where he'd gone to 'see a man about a horse'. Later he jokingly complained he couldn't hide behind a bush w/o finding WL." >From Carl Paukstis: "Damn." >From Sanders: "Damn is right. Let Linda know that our thoughts are with her. Let her know also that her husbands signature line described the job we all dream of and always put a smile on our faces when we saw it." (Mike's signature at the bottom of each of his emails reads:) "Mike Temple Recreational Research Center Chief Investigator" Godspeed Mike Godspeed, With love from your WetLeather family.