Robert E. Templeton

1931-2020

Robert E. “Bob” Templeton, a Past President of AACE International, was born June 21, 1931 in Pittsburgh, PA, to Robert James and Alice Scheppele Templeton. He died November 28, 2020, after a 15-month battle with cancer.

After graduating from South Hills High School in 1949, Bob attended Carnegie Mellon University receiving a BS in 1953 and MS in 1954 in Civil Engineering. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Xi Honoraries. He then accepted a position with The MW Kellogg Company in NYC. He received an MBA in Marketing and Management at NYU in 1960. Bob was with Kellogg (KBR) before retiring after 39 years in 1993.

On June 9, 1956, he married the former Barbara McDonald of East Orange, NJ. They lived in Summit, NJ, with their three daughters until Kellogg relocated to Houston in 1970.

Bob was a 45-year member and elder of Pines Presbyterian Church, he was the National President of the American Association of Cost Engineers from 1971-72, Houston Chapter President of the Project Management Institute, former President of the Fonn Villas Civic Association, Somerset Place Representative to the Memorial Super Neighborhood Association, Who’s Who in America, CanCare Volunteer, and a 15 year volunteer with VITA, income tax counseling.

Bob never met a stranger and always loved to talk and joke with anyone he met. He was an avid golfer and fan of the Texans, Astros and Rockets.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and oldest daughter Shirley in 1973. He is survived by his loving wife Barbara of 64 years. Daughters Susan Banker (Dan) of Cypress, TX, Sally Navarrette (Luis) of Hemet, CA, and granddaughters Brittany Dunaway (Brian) of Conway, AR, Danielle Meeler (Derek) of Chester, VA, Caitlynn Banker of Addison, TX and great grandson Lex Dunaway.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Anil Thaker of Memorial Hermann Memorial City for his devoted care of Bob. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Memorial Hermann Hospice, 902 Frostwood Dr., Ste 288, Houston, TX 77024, the American Cancer Society or a charity of your choice.

This obituary was published in the Houston Chronicle on Dec. 6, 2020.

In the paperwork for his nomination as a Fellow of AACE International, it states that Bob became a member of AACE in 1957. Following his work retirement, Bob made application for Emeritis Membership status with AACE and noted that he had been an active member since 1958. At the time, that 1958 through 1993 active member status had made him an AACE member for 35 years. As noted above, he received BS and MS degrees in civil engineering from what was then the Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie Mellon University. He started his employment in his 20s with what was then the Pullman-Kellogg Company right after receiving his degrees, being with the company from 1960 through 1977. The company became M.W. Kellogg Company. Bob might have worked longer but retired at a time that the economy was in a downturn. He wrote, “I can assure you that there are few jobs available in my industry.” Nevertheless, he had weathered the ups and downs of the economy and had been with the same company for almost 39 years, a long and distinguished career in cost engineering. He was also a Registered Professional Engineer and a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers.

After becoming an AACE member, Bob was active with the Metropolitan New York Section, and served in all of the section offices from 1960 through 1965. In the period of 1966 through 1973, he served in association level offices, culminating with serving as Association President in 1971-1972. After completing his service on the AACE Board of Directors, in the period of 1973 to 1980, he became the Certification Board Ad Hoc Committee Chairman and the first Certification Board Chairman. In the period of 1981 through 1993, he continued to serve in various committee chairman assignments, including as Quality Management Committee Chair.

In addition to his AACE service, he had served as Vice President of the Scientific Research Society of North America, Chair of the North American Society Corporate Planners Program in 1974, and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Chair of the Cost Control Subcommittee.

In 1977, when Templeton was nominated and awarded AACE membership status as an AACE Fellow, Thomas C. Ponder, PE CCE, also an AACE Past President and one of those nominating Templeton, wrote that Bob was, “always giving more of himself than asking of others.” Ponder also said Bob, “led the way by setting an example.” Kathryn E. Shaw, CCE, in 1977 as President of the Houston Gulf Coast Section was another nominator of Bob as a Fellow. She wrote, “Robert Templeton, as a member of AACE, has acted as an excellent example of what a cost engineer should present as an individual, for the past 20 years.” Templeton was presented his Fellow award on June 27, 1977, in Milwaukee at AACE’s 21st Annual Meeting.

Templeton was one of the early members of AACE. His assigned membership number was 884 and his letter welcoming him as an AACE member was signed by Edward D. Shanken, AACE Executive Secretary. Membership dues were $10. He noted that in the period from 1960 through 1992, he had attended 31 of the 33 Annual Meetings (now Conference & Expo). He missed the 1982 meeting because his job had taken him to Perth, Australia and in 1991 he missed when he was undergoing radiation therapy for a malignant tumor. In 1977, AACE awarded Bob its Award of Merit. In 1990, he received the O.T. Zimmerman award.

Comments from AACE Peers on Bob’s passing:

Clive D. Francis, CCP, AACE President 2004-2005, said, “Bob was a real mentor to me in my early days with AACE. He helped me so much not only by our conversations but by his example. He will be missed.”

Longtime AACE Member Donald F. McDonald, CCP PSP, said, “Bob was one of the very nice ones who knew his craft well and was a great mentor to all.”

Prior AACE Executive Director Barry G. McMillan, said, “So sorry to hear of Bob Templeton’s passing.  He was a soft-spoken gentleman who always led by example.  He will be missed by all who knew him.  He was a great advocate for AACE and the profession.”