In Memoriam: Clyde Tempel (1941-2024)

Clyde Kent Tempel, age 82, of Rogers, Arkansas, died Monday, March 4, 2024 at his residence. He was born March 25, 1941 in Higginsville, Missouri, the son of Dorothy and Chester Tempel.

He served for six years in the US Army Reserve from 1961 until 1967. He was a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist for many years. After graduating high school in 1959 in Higginsville, Missouri, he attended Elmhurst College from 1959 until 1960 near Chicago, Illinois. He completed two degrees at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri — first was his Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry, 1964, and Bachelor of Nursing Science at the University of Missouri Medical Center in 1968. His senior year in Columbia at University Medical Center also included one year as anesthesia first-year resident. He was board certified in anesthesia in June 1970.

His anesthesia practice included Bothwell Hospital in Sedalia, Missouri from 1970 until 1971. He moved to Rogers, Arkansas in the Fall of 1971 and started Professional Anesthesia Associates of Rogers, serving the Dominican Sisters of Mercy Hospital of Rogers where he maintained the group until 1997. Then he moved to the Head of Anesthesia for Boozman-Hof Regional Eye Surgery Center and Ozark Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery, both of Rogers until his retirement in December 2019. Over his 52-year career of practice he served over 65,000 anesthesia interventions. The hospitals he served on staff were: University of Missouri Medical Center located in Columbia, Missouri; Bothwell Hospital in Sedalia, Missouri; St. John’s Hospital located in Springfield, Missouri; Cox Hospital located in Springfield, Missouri; St. Mary’s/Mercy Hospital of Rogers, Arkansas; Bates Hospital in Bentonville, Arkansas; and many area hospitals located in Springdale and Siloam Springs, Arkansas.

Clyde was a member of the Arkansas Association of Nurse Anesthetists from 1971 until 2019, where he served as a two-time Board of Director Member, and elected president of the asociation in the early 1970s. He was appointed to Governor David Pryor’s Health Care Manpower Project. He was also a member of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA). He served on numerous committees for over 20 years. He was on the Board of Directors for two terms; he served as treasurer for one term; he was the chairman of the Finance Committee for five terms; he was Lead Developer of National Standards and subsidiary entities: AANA financial policy and management. He was a Charter Member of the Friends of Life endowment program, AANA Insurance Services. Also for the AANA, he was co-author of the Ethics Code.

He and his family were one of five families to fund and start the Rogers Youth Center. He was a Boy Scout Merit badge counselor for first-aid, forestry, and survival skills. His family was the primary family to begin the Rogers Youth Swim Team. He worked to help start and develop NWACC (Northwest Arkansas Community College). He served on the Rogers Airport Commission for over 20 years.

His hobbies were fishing, hunting, woodworking, lawn and landscaping, and antique boat motor restoration. He had been a longtime consultant for individuals and companies in landscape planning and forestry (tree development).

Clyde was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Rogers, where he served in many areas around the church. He served as leader of the high school department for many years, and was a key member of four major building programs, including the move to the current Pleasant Grove location. He was an active deacon for many years. He was a member of the development council for Ouachita Baptist University in the late 1980s. He was active in world missions with trips to Brazil, Africa, Thailand, and Honduras. He was a charter and longtime member of AMOR (Amazon Mission Outreach) Board; helped with several church starts, school, medical; made many trips to Brazil in remote Amazon areas. Also, he participated in Men’s Fishing Retreats, with 49 trips to Canadian Wilderness; emphasis on men with life-ending diseases.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother; Allen Tempel; and his wife and mother of his children, Mary Tempel, whom he married June 6, 1964 until her death in 2007.

Clyde is survived by his wife, Kellie Tempel, whom he married December 31, 2010; one daughter, Mary Elizabeth Green, of Rogers; one son, Paul John (PJ) Tempel, of Kona, Hawaii; three step-sons, Jacob Ford and his wife Kristyn, Justin Ford and his wife Megan, Joseph Ford and his wife Mikayla; one sister, Doris Ann Koch, of Springfield, Missouri; many grandchildren: Kendall Green and Conner Green, both of Rogers; Hayden and Finley Ford; Ariella Ford and cousin, Cali, Grayson, Charlotte and Loralai Ford.

Visitation will be Monday, March 11 from 10-11 a.m. The celebration of Clyde’s life will begin at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Rogers with Pastor Wes George officiating.

This obituary was originally published on Epting Funeral Home’s website.