Ruthann Rowe Templin's Obituary
Ruthann Rowe Templin passed away peacefully on July 30 in Salt Lake City, Utah, surrounded by the people she loved.
Ruthann was born in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, in 1940 to Ruth Edwards and John Rowe. The oldest of five children, she moved with her family to Ohio in the 1940s and spent much of her childhood in and around Cleveland.
She met the love of her life, Ronald Templin, while they were in high school in 1956. They married on July 6, 1963, and soon began building a family and a life together that would span seven decades.
Ruthann was a force; warm, funny, determined and always quick with a smile or a laugh. She had a gift for connecting with people, and caring for others came naturally to her. After raising her four children, she returned to school in 1983 to earn her LPN license and, five years later, became a registered nurse.
She worked as a nurse in Georgia before she and Ron headed west, following their children; Chris, Kevin and Michelle in Utah and Ronnie in Arizona. In 2000, she joined the neonatal unit at the University of Utah, where she worked for eight years. She loved being a nurse, adored her coworkers, and cared deeply for the many mothers and babies whose lives she touched along the way.
More than anything, Ruthann fiercely loved her family. She was happiest surrounded by her children and grandchildren, feeding them her famous spaghetti sauce, making them laugh, and slipping them a little “coffee money” whenever she got the chance. It was one of her favorite ways of taking care of the people she loved, even long after they were old enough to take care of themselves.
Ruthann also loved a little adventure - and a good gamble. A serious poker player, she competed in the 2007 World Series of Poker.
Ruthann is survived by her beloved husband, Ron; her sons, Chris (Virginia Pearce) and Kevin (Britt Templin); her grandchildren, Emmett, Roxie, Porter and Haile; her sister, Martha Gentile; her brother, John Rowe; her niece, Mia Gentile; and her great-niece, Vanessa Gentile.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Michelle Templin-Polasek, and her son, Ronnie Templin. Their absence was felt deeply throughout her life, and there is comfort in imagining them together again.
A funeral Mass will be held Saturday, August 15, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 1375 Spring Lane, Holladay, Utah. The service will be officiated by Ron’s brother, Father Ken Templin, S.M. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider honoring Ruthann’s generous spirit with a donation to The INN Between.
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