Industry Sales Veteran, Tom Temple, Dies at 74

October 18, 2021  by Laurie Northington in Industry, Obituaries   

Temple grew up in Charlotte, N.C. and attended UNC-Chapel Hill, followed by his service in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot. He received the Air Medal for Heroism while participating in aerial flight and The Bronze Star while serving his country. After Vietnam, Temple returned home to work with Stuart Furniture, in Asheboro, N.C., which later became Klaussner Furniture for over 33 years. 

Temple was the first commissioned sales person at Stuart Furniture, where he met and married his wife, Joyce. They later moved to Atlanta and then to Auburn, Alabama where they raised their family and lived for over 30 years. Temple covered Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and the Florida panhandle where he made many friends in the furniture business.

Temple is survived by Joyce, his wonderful wife of 45 years, their son Will Temple, daughter Katie and her husband Jason Keehfus  and two grandchildren, Cameron and Lincoln.

Tom loved people, sales, golf and his family, especially his two grandchildren. He never met a stranger and always had a story to tell. He maintained a huge passion for UNC basketball and southern football.  

A memorial service and celebration of life was held on Saturday, October 16, 2021 at the Big Canoe Chapel in Big Canoe, Georgia. The family has requested any donations made in Tom’s name to Tunnel for Towers.