Faye Templeton Hurlburt

Faye was born on May 22nd, 1926 at Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, Texas. She was the first born of Walter and Essie Templeton. They moved to Kerrville sometime during the early years where her father was employed at the Legion Veteran’s Hospital.

Essie, Faye’s mother, died at the young age of 25 from tuberculosis leaving behind her husband Walter, daughter Faye and the youngest child, Ray. TB was wiping out entire families in the 1930’s. One of Faye’s earliest memories is of seeing her mother, which she could have no contact with, out in the shed making Faye a little doll bed for her birthday. Essie wanted Faye to have this before she passed.

Her father married a year or so later and became the mother to Ray and Faye. In April 21, 1934, Walter Lee was born. He was warmly welcomed into the family after the sadness of losing their mother. 7 years later, Ray would be called to heaven after also succumbing to Tuberculosis. He would have been 13.

After so much sadness, the family decided to move to Prescott, Arizona. A week or so after they arrived, the country was plunged into WWII.

Faye’s youth was lived in the shadow of WWII which finally ended in 1945. In December of 1946, her father passed away from spinal meningitis.

Having suffered these losses, it’s easy to see how someone could become so bitter, but Faye and her little brother Walter made lemonade out of life’s lemons.

She became a Christian around 10 years old during a revival that came to town. A missionary spoke during this event and it forever changed her life. At that point, she had found her life’s calling. She stated that “she felt strongly called to the mission field and knew that God would work it out”.

Faye finished school at Westmont College in Santa Barbara and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education. She then took another year of Bible Study in Portland, Oregon.

After Portland, Faye and some of her girlfriends went to Kentucky to teach in an orphanage where she would obtain valuable experience. She told many humerous stories of the children there coming to school barefoot and speaking a form of old English that used the words “thee” and “thy”. This is also where she first tasted possum though she said it was oily and that she didn’t care for it at all. Their housing consisted of a log house, no running water and no heat except for a pop belly stove.

Faye was accepted to the Conservative Baptist mission in 1950 and then sailed in 1951 to Belgium for a year of language study-a requirement of the Belgian Colonial Government. After language study, she arrived in Congo in 1952 and again studied language, but this time it was Kiswahili. She was appointed to a grammar school located on one of the mission stations and was teacher and principal. She stated, “teaching school in a language you barely know is a challenge”.

Faye met her husband, Paul Hurlburt while in the United States and were married in the Congo on December 13, 1957. A few years later they added Paul and Diane to the family. Faye continued to teach in various capacities, fitting in where ever she was needed. Mostly, she taught Home Economic classes as well as Bible classes.

One of Paul and Faye’s biggest accomplishments was finishing the translation of the Kinandi Bible. While Paul had already passed, Faye traveled back to Africa with two of Paul’s brothers for the dedication of the bible. The people were thrilled to finally have the bible in their own language and thousands of people turned out for the event.

Faye says, “Our life and service in the Congo was not easy, due to political unrest. In all of this, we felt the Lord’s hand on us and his deliverance many times. As long as God kept the door open, we would return to the Congo. God took care of us, and we praise him. We were blessed many times over in our ministry, as we saw the church growing and eventually able to carry on without outside help.

After Paul’s passing in 1996, Faye settled into their house in Oceanside, CA and became a member of the First Baptist Church of Oceanside. She also took a writing class through Mira Costa College that helped her in compiling stories from her life. Often, some of her friend (AKA The Merry Widows) could be found down at the Oceanside Harbor having a picnic. She never stopped serving. Whether it was at church, with her kids and grandchildren, friends or strangers, she was always a servant.

Faye is survived by her son Paul, daughter Diane, grandchildren Sarah, Josh and Daniel as well as great grandkids Charlie, Chase and Madison.

“Only one life to live; only what is done for Christ will last”