- Date Of Birth: 1925
- Date Of Death: 2016
- State: New York
Virginia (Jean) Tempel passed away on 25 August 2016 re-uniting with the love of her life, Bill, in heaven. She was 90.
Virginia` was born in Roscoe, NY on October 23, 1925 to parents Hilda and Daniel Foote. She graduated from the Central School in Roscoe in 1943. She worked for Pratt and Whitney in Manchester, CT during WWII. After the war, she came back home to work at Antrim Lodge.
She met William (Bill) Tempel at the Tumble Inn located in Callicoon Center on December 31, 1945 and quickly knew he was the man of her dreams. He proposed in early 1946 and gave her the most meaningful gift she ever received, her engagement ring. They married June 2, 1946. In 1947, they were blessed with their first child, Gary.
In 1950, the family moved to Shandelee, NY where they owned and operated the Lakeview Hotel. Two years later in 1952, they were blessed with a second child, Daniel. The family operated the hotel until they sold it in 1972. Virginia earned an Associate of Applied Science from Sullivan County Community College in Dec 1972 and a Bachelor of Science from the College of Technology at NY State University in Dec 1978, making her the first woman in her family to graduate high school as well as the first to earn a college degree.
After earning her Associate Degree, she began student teaching at BOCES to earn her teaching credentials. In the spring semester of 1976 she earned the title of Assistant Professor while teaching Hotel Technology at Sullivan Community College and was acknowledged as the first female to acquire this status there. Here she also served as the Honor Society Advisor until she retired in May 1991.
She is pre-deceased by her loving husband, William (Bill) Tempel; her brother, Daniel Foote; her sister Doris Harmon, Step sisters, Lena Schoonmaker, Mabel Johnson, Danny Foote and his wife Louisa. She is survived by: her son, Gary Tempel of Shandelee; her son Daniel Tempel and his wife Elinor of North Pole, Alaska; her three grandchildren: Jessica Davison and her husband Kyle of North Pole, Alaska; Heath Tempel and his wife Courtney of Sumter, South Carolina; and Sonja Tempel of Detroit, Michigan. Four great grandchildren: Kevin Davison, Martin Davison, Lilliana Carmona, and Aciano Carmona.
She was an active member of the community, volunteering at the Catskill Regional Medical Center; belonging to the Sullivan-St. Tammany Chapter No. 298 Order of the Eastern Star serving as Matron, the Lester White American Legion Auxiliary in Livingston Manor, Professional Women of Sullivan County as well as serving as Past President of the Senior Citizens Organization, President of the Official Board and Treasurer at Livingston Manor Methodist Church and Vice President of the Retired Teachers Association. She was well known in the community for the delicious meals she prepared for fundraisers supporting the Methodist Church.
