John W. Temples Jr., age 88, of Columbus, Georgia passed away on 5/21/2026 of a silent heart attack and went peacefully in his sleep.

A private graveside service will be held at Evergreen Memorial Park according to McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory, 3874 Gentian Blvd. Columbus, GA 31907.

John was born on 6/28/1937 to John Wesley Temples Sr. and Irma Knight Temples in Blakely, Georgia. His family moved to Columbus, Georgia where he grew up with his five siblings. After John graduated from Jordan High School in 1955, he went on to join the United States Air Force where he received education in becoming an electrical engineer. He worked on early warning systems for bombers during the Cold War. The USAF contracted with IBM, which led to John starting his life-long career with them.

In 1957 John married Jane Curry from Boston, Massachusetts and they went on to have two sons, John Wesley Temples III and Jeffrey Allen Temples. John’s career took the family to live in several U.S. locations near NASA Space headquarter sites like Los Angeles, Houston, and Cape Canaveral, Florida.

He subsequently received an MSc and MBA. Then IBM contracted with NASA, hiring John to work on the computer systems for the Apollo Lunar Program and the Space Shuttle Program as a project manager.

John and Jane moved back to Columbus when he retired from IBM, where he spent his time with family and going on world cruises with his wife.

John was predeceased by his wife, Jane Curry Temples, his son Jeffrey Allen Temples, his mother and father, John Wesley Temples Sr. and Irma Knight Temples, as well as his three sisters, Laura Neil Thompson, Vincye Elon Hayes, and Elsie Mae Edwards. He is survived by his son John Wesley Temples III, his two grandchildren Wesley Thomas Temples and Luanna Jean Temples by his deceased son Jeffrey Allen Temples, and his two brothers James Eli Temples Sr. and George Taylor Temples. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

There will be no services per the wishes of the deceased and his son.