Elizabeth Margaret Aubel Templin, known to everyone as "Bess" was born to Henry Frank Aubel and Margaret Elizabeth Brownrigg Aubel on April 24, 1916, in Seguin, Texas, and she died on March 20, 2011. She was a devoted Navy wife and homemaker, mother of two children, and a crusader for causes she believed in. She was a very active church member wherever she lived and gave generously of her time and talents in many ways. Her strong Christian faith sustained her through both good times and bad. Bess was baptized and confirmed in Emanuel's Lutheran Church in Seguin. She graduated from Seguin High School in 1933 and knew firsthand of Depression days and years. Several responsible employment positions in Seguin enabled her to assist with family finances. As the oldest of her siblings, she also helped to look after her brothers and sister. On June 2, 1938, she married Erwin B. Templin, a local young man serving as a Texas Highway Patrolman. They moved to Corpus Christi, where both son Skip and daughter Anne were born. During World War II, Erwin, known to everyone as "Temp," rejoined the Navy and stayed on active duty until his retirement in 1957. Being the talented homemaker that she was, Bess excelled as a seamstress, making draperies, bedspreads, and upholstery for their homes, as well as many of the clothes the whole family wore. Her needlepoint, knitting, and embroidery were also of blue ribbon quality. Though cooking was not her favorite pastime, she was an excellent cook. For many years while living in Houston, she and Temp had friends in for New Year's Day, serving chili and beans and tamales while everyone enjoyed watching football on three televisions set up in the living room. Bess lived in a number of interesting places over the years: Mexico City, D.F.; Whidbey Island, Washington; Honolulu, Hawaii; Austin and Lago Vista, Texas; and Dallas, Texas, most recently. She always had a great love of travel and made several trips to England and Germany to visit family and broaden her interests in and knowledge of both family and local history. She was always eager to take on new adventures. She hiked many times on Mt. Rainier in Washington and took three whitewater raft trips down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho. She loved every second of those six-day camping experiences. All of her travels gave her endless pleasurable memories. She was an avid bridge player and enjoyed all kinds of games, whether they be cards, dominoes, or word and jigsaw puzzles. She also was a voracious reader. At the age of 75, she enrolled at the University of Texas for a semester to audit an English course on Shakespeare. Later, as her eyesight began to fail, she was very grateful for and took advantage of talking books from the Texas School for the Blind. While living in Houston from 1955-1977, she thoroughly enjoyed her 10-year employment with Allstate Insurance Company. She also volunteered as a candy striper at Ben Taub General Hospital. After moving to Austin and then out to Lago Vista, she was very generous with her time and talents as a volunteer with both the Lago Vista Fire Department and the Lago Vista Public Library. Family and friends were very important to Bess, and she was very active socially throughout her life. She was a master at communicating and maintaining contact with people she had met and interacted with during both her Navy and civilian years. She wrote wonderful letters and sent cards for special occasions, had frequent phone contacts, and traveled around the country visiting and renewing acquaintances. She also enjoyed her two pet Siamese cats during her lifetime, both named "Prissy," one on Whidbey Island, Washington, and one in Houston. Bess was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Erwin B. (Temp) Templin, Sr.; her son Erwin B. (Skip) Templin, Jr.; brothers Henry T. Aubel and Hilmar F. Aubel; and half-brother Clarence Aubel. She is survived by daughter Elizabeth Anne (and Wes) Burmark; sister Katherine Braulick; sister-in-law Doris Aubel; granddaughters Sherry Payton and Stacey (and John) Lanius; five great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; daughter-in-law Sandy (and Jess) Rogers. She also leaves numerous nieces and nephews, along with their spouses, children and grandchildren. Graveside services and interment will be held on Friday, May 20, 2011, at 11 a.m. at San Geronimo Cemetery in Seguin with Willie Spreen officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to The Nature Conservancy, an organization she fervently supported, P. O. Box 6014, Albert Lea, Minnesota, 56007.