James "Jim" Greer

Jim or Jimmy, as many of us knew him was a good man who always meant well and would give the shirt off his back and his last dollar to someone in need, even when he didn't have it to spare. His later years in life and he didn't have much, but what he did have, friendship, he gave fully.

James "Jim" Melvin Greer was born on March 17th, 1936, St. Patrick's Day in Artesia, CA. Jim moved to Templeton with his father Jack and his mother Winnie in October of 1940 at the age of 4. He grew up on the Greer Ranch on Santa Rita Rd at the fork of the Santa Rita and Jack Creek.

Before Jim had even graduated high school he had already purchased the first dairy cow, "Goldie", a Jersey cow from Walter Goodell in Atascadero for $6. Jim graduated from Templeton High School in the spring of 1955. Through his accomplishments with 4H and FFA Jim was awarded a $200 Standard Oil scholarship to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall of 1955, although he left Cal Poly to tend to his dairy in Templeton where for some time he had over 250 head of Holstein and Jersey cows he was milking. Jim later joined the US Army Reserves serving active duty from January of 1958 - July of 1958 at Fort Ord.

Jim also loved card having bought his first new truck while in high school, it was a red 1953 Chevrolet pickup. Jim was a lover of fast and flashy cars and even owned a '69 Stingray Corvette. Later Jim went on to buy a '67 Olds which his mom made him sell saying he was going to kill himself with that car!

Jim was a regular figure at the Templeton Market at his window seat facing Main Street and Joe's Place. Before that it was Hoover's Beef Palace. Jim was never short on time and was always willing to share a story if you had the time, (even if you didn't he'd still share). The rich history and love for the Templeton community was evident in never ending stories about all the different families that helped shape Templeton in the early years to stories of the old schoolhouse where he graduated from in 1955 (which is now Templeton Elementary), He would go on and on about stories of all the different dairy families and would often get so caught up in his story he'd forget many weren't even born yet when he would ask us if we remembered!

Jim spent time at the Templeton Historical Society as a board member where he found joy sharing his stories, watching the old school bus be restored and getting the old Crescent Dairy (Rossi Brothers) milk bottle restored and on display for all to see.

Jim would tell stories of all the different alfalfa farms around town, the commercial chicken coup and his favorite, Grade A - Dutch Maid Dairy! He'd reminisce of the old dirt highway his father helped to pave and when the kids would have to leave school to help around the ranchers as fathers were away at war.

Jim was resourceful and would'nt let much go to waste, even when it was long overdue for the scrap pile...Jim salvaged a WW2 Quonset hut from Morry Bay (in 1960), to repurpose as one of the first (if not the first) pass-thru milking barns. This milk barn still stands today at Jim's old property on Plum Orchard Lane. He later went on to open his own creamery in San Luis Obispo off of Broad Street, but it was a little too much to handle with his love for animals and his work on the ranch always being his true love.

Along with Jim's stories of Templeton, you'd be hard pressed to not have a story about Holland pop up in conversation. He was proud of his heritage and held strong to the mantra "if you ain't Dutch you ain't much!" He shared fond memories of visiting family and seeing the tulips in Holland. For Jim, if he ever found out you had any Dutch in your blood, you were an instant friend for life!

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Templeton FFA scholarship fund - in memory of Jim Greer.