Lynda Kay Templeton

She thoroughly enjoyed teaching students with special needs. Always smiling, laughing and a child at heart, she endeared herself to her students. As a believer in Jesus Christ, Lynda followed his example and treated her students with respect, compassion, patience, devotion and most importantly love. Her students flourished because of it. She would often say, these students are very smart, they just need someone to believe in them and give them a chance.

After retiring she moved to Warrensburg, MO. She was a full-time caregiver to her mother for 10 years. She attended the First Baptist Church and volunteered as a greeter and sang in the choir. She volunteered at the Johnson County historical society. She wrote poems for the senior newsletter every month for two years. Her favorite hobbies were drinking coffee, sewing, artwork, writing, and reading about everything from medical and history to ghost stories and aliens. After midnight you could always find her by the radio listening to Coast to Coast AM.

In the past 4 years she battled numerous medical challenges. But the tumors, cysts, viruses, infections, and cancers failed to put a damper on her optimism. She faced these challenges head on with a grateful heart knowing each day is a blessing. Instead of classrooms and churches, her bright smile was now lighting up physical therapy gyms, MRI tubes, chemotherapy bays and emergency rooms. One doctor remarked on her positive attitude saying "It's like she takes chemotherapy for vitamins." Because of her grit and determination physical therapists referred to her as TNT "Tough as Nails Templeton." She would repeat the phrases "the more you do, the more you can do" and "never give up, never give in, fight to the end." She was laid to rest Friday January 20 at Fairview Cemetery in Liberty, Missouri.