Colleen H Templer

Colleen Harriet Highfill Templer, age 90, passed away April 14, 2020 at Bethesda Gardens in Monument, Colorado. She was born on February 20,1930 in Peabody, Kansas to Louis Highfill and Laura Tillie Highfill.

Colleen and Gerald Templer were married on June 27, 1948 and raised their three children in Fort Collins, Colorado where Jerry worked in sales. Colleen worked at Colorado State University for 32 years as an administrative assistant in the Watershed Sciences Department, Cooperative Extension, Resident Instruction, Athletic Department, and College of Veterinarian Medicine. She also loved working as a representative of Arbonne International.

Colleen had a love for clothes, fashion, and the color purple. She drove too fast and was known to talk a policeman out of a speeding ticket. Gardening was her passion. She loved browsing local nurseries and planting roses and tomato plants. She was also a passionate Denver Bronco fan and wouldn’t take phone calls during a game. She knew players names and statistics. Colleen and Jerry had season football and basketball tickets to Colorado State University for over 30 years.

Colleen and Jerry believed in the power of prayer and began each day praying for their children and grandchildren. She often prayed with her grown children by phone while they travelled to work. When asked what meant the most to them in regard to their children, Colleen and Jerry said they wanted them to “walk with the Lord as their Savior”. They were members of the Faith Evangelical Free Church in Fort Collins. In the words of a close family friend, " What an example she was to all of us. She always had Jesus in her heart.” This was evidenced in her work with Young Life and Youth with a Mission, singing in the church choir, as Bible study leader, and as a deaconess.

Colleen will be remembered by the songs she sang over the phone to her grandchildren like Good Morning to You, Jesus Loves Me, Joy Down in my Heart, Let the Sunshine In, and her birthday song duet with Jerry. Her family will also remember her favorite sayings: “Nothing is wasted in the Kingdom of God.” “It’s not what happens, it’s how you let it affect you.” “Live each day unto its own.”

Colleen is survived by her husband of 72 years, Gerald (Jerry) L. Templer, and children Sharon Trout (Alex), Marganne Pearce (Mark), and Tom Templer (Jerri). She is also survived by her two sisters, Lois Mahoney and Joan Mestemacher. She was preceded in death by her brother Louis “Butch” Highfill and her grandson Michael Ryan Conley.

Surviving grandchildren include grandson Brad Conley (Lisa) with children Reed Colleen, Gage Templer, and Ty Nichole, grandson Shane Pearce (Kim), and grandson Jack Templer. Surviving granddaughters include Hailey McCollister (Chappel), Amanda Kuhns (Wes), Jamie James (Andrew), and Mattie Colbert (Clif) with son, Bennett Von.

Family members would like to thank Bethesda Gardens staff and Hospice for the intimate care Colleen received.

Funeral arrangements were made by Swan-Law, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

She will be interned at Fort Logan National Cemetery on April 28, 2020.

Due to the pandemic a memorial service will be held at a later date.