Curtis Wayne Temple

Curtis Wayne Temple, was born September 26, 1992 in Fresno, California.  To the ones who knew him the best, it was “Dirty Curt”. He is the son of Janelle (Riojas) and Lance Temple.  He was received by God on April 5, 2015 by a terrible truck accident on I4 and Universal in Orlando, FL.  He was driving his truck and doing what he loved.  For some, not so terrible.  Curtis graduated from Celebration High School in 2011.  There he was a Wrestler for 4 years.  He was 1 wrestle shy of going to states his Senior year.  He also played football, number 55, which he was on Varsity his Sophomore and Junior year.  There was no stopping him in playing sports.  He would play with a broken nose and broken fingers.  It didn’t bother him.  Curtis was a country boy at heart. He loved being around cars, trucks, his friends, and most of all, his family.  He was always tinkering around with tools and fixing something.  He loved the outdoors.  You couldn’t keep him inside, unless he was sleeping, which he loved to do.

Curtis is preceded in death by paternal grandmother Sunny Temple (2006).  Curtis leaves to cherish his memory parents Janelle and Lance Temple of Kissimmee; four brothers; Lance, his wife Laila and newborn Maya; Travis,  Justin  and Lucas Temple, and his baby sister Nicole Temple all from the Orlando, FL area;  paternal grandfather Richard Oliver Temple of Virginia; maternal grandparents Larry & Mary Jane Riojas of Fresno, California; his Uncle Rick Temple of Orlando, FL (cousin Ritchie and wife Christy Temple, and their kids, Brooke, Nash and Tatum of Texas, Uncle Wayne and Aunt Linda Temple of New Jersey, Aunt Dawn Smith (Tabitha Smith of Kissimmee, FL, cousins Bobby and Kristen Smith and little Krysten,  Candice Smith and her son Marcus.   He is also survived by his Uncle Lawrence Riojas of Bakersfield, CA, his Aunt Kimmie and Uncle Shawn Erwin of Clovis, CA (and cousins Patrick and Gillian), his Uncle Anthony and Chris Riojas of Coarsegold, CA (and cousins Anthony and Theresa).

Born into a family of five boys and one girl, his tenacity gave him the fortitude that would propel his extreme life style. Many assume Curtis’s life was short lived or was taken from us too soon. What many fail to realize is that Curtis did just that… He LIVED. What you thought or wished of doing, he did. His “Dare Devil” persona was reminiscent of a modern day James Dean. Complete with just enough charm to get him both in and out of sticky situations. Curtis didn’t party! He was the party! In one single weekend he could be seen jumping from the panama city bridge over the ocean, to driving miles away into the wilderness, to go hog hunting in a giant 4x4 with a 2.23 caliber semiautomatic AK47 equipped with an infrared scope in some swamp that few people would dare venture into. He drove fast, LOUD, and big. He didn’t need attention, he caused attention. He didn’t just make a scene, he was the movie. His charisma is what is most remembered.   The “Life of the party” being his most nominated award.

Ancient Egyptians believed that upon death they would be asked two questions and their answers would determine whether they could continue their journey in the afterlife. The first question was, "Did you bring joy?" The second was, "Did you find joy?"  Needless to say with no fear, Curtis Wayne Temple’s journey has just begun.

The family will be receiving friends on Friday April 10th, 2015 from 12:00 until 1:00 pm, followed by the funeral service at 1:00 pm at Community Presbyterian Church of Celebration, Kissimmee, FL  with Dr. William A. Lewis and Rev. Joseph Saragusa officiating.