Ora Marie Templeton

Ora Marie Templeton, 94, of Dallas, TX, passed away peacefully on December 9, 2022, after a brief illness. Ora Marie was born April 1, 1928, in Fort Smith, AR, to William & Ora Dansby Murphy. The youngest of three children, Ora Marie attended Fort Smith High School, followed by Mount St. Scholastica College in Atchison, KS. She raised her 4 children in Shreveport, LA, where she lived for 35 years before moving to Dallas in 1991. In her later years, she spent her summers with her tennis and pickleball “family” in Ruidoso, NM.

Throughout her life, Ora Marie was deeply involved with civic and religious organizations, often creating one when she saw a need. In Shreveport, she served on numerous Boards, including the Shreveport Symphony Association and Shreveport Art Guild, which she co-founded to support and advance the careers of local artists. A strong believer in Catholic education, Ora Marie was a tireless church and school volunteer, establishing the Women’s Church Circle of St. John Berchman Church, serving as President of the Loyola College Prep Parent’s Association and Chairperson of the St. Vincent’s School Tag Day program.

Most dear to her heart, she created the highly successful Loyola men’s tennis program, serving as its coach for 10 years. This achievement earned “Coach Mom” her induction into the Loyola Hall of Honor. She continued her love of racquet sports for the rest of her life, captaining dozens of Club tennis teams and competing in Senior tennis tournaments in New Mexico and Arizona. After retiring from tennis, she co-founded the Ruidoso Pickleball Club, introducing the sport to her adopted second home. Everywhere she lived, Ora Marie made her mark and she will be deeply missed.

Ora Marie was preceded in death by her parents and her two brothers, Bill Murphy (Mary Alice) and Joe Murphy (Betsy). She is survived by her children: Bill Templeton, Sarah Willett, Ben Templeton (Frances) and Susan O’Brien; her grandchildren: Alan Templeton (Stevee), Ryan Templeton (Ashley), Jessica Phillips, Peter Willett (Kristen), Carter Templeton (Alanna) and Nathan Templeton; and her many beloved great-grandchildren, nieces & nephews.

A funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, January 5th, at 11:30 am at St. Rita Catholic Church, 12521 Inwood Road, Dallas, followed by a reception at the St. Rita Parish Commons. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Rita Catholic Community or Loyola College Prep in Shreveport, LA.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the Templeton family.