A Legacy of Excellence
With a father who was a steward’s mate in the Navy Reserve and a high-achieving mother who was valedictorian of her high school class, Clarence Maxie “Max” Templeton III ‘71 says his parents encouraged him to always excel.
And the family’s shared value of achievement and dedication provided a strong foundation for young Max when he became a Blue Devil.
“There was an expectation of excellence,” Templeton says. “And, as a result of my Duke education, I was not afraid to take chances or do things that no one had ever done before.”
After graduating from Duke, that drive and willingness to take chances took him through an adventurous and impressive military career throughout Europe, Asia, and the U.S., and culminated in a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his service as an information systems technician and senior chief petty officer of the Navy Reserve.
With a subsequent professional career spanning Xerox, IBM, Carolina Power & Light, and then managing industrial development for Soul City Project, a planned community in Manson, North Carolina, proposed by civil rights leader Floyd McKissick—Templeton built a career equally focused on ambition and making an impact for the greater good.
So when he recently created a bequest that will benefit future Duke students attending Trinity College, Templeton was honoring and carrying forward his family’s legacy of making a difference in the lives of others as well as his own calling to give back.
“I felt it was my duty to give my treasure—no matter how small the gift,” he says.
Not only has he given his treasure to Duke; Templeton has been equally generous of his time to the university. He served on the Advisory Board of the Duke Annual Fund from 1987 to 1993.
While at Duke, he became a leader in student life, alumni affairs, annual giving, and reunion planning. He served as treasurer of the Westminster Fellowship, a Presbyterian student group, and as co-chair of the African-American Society. His active Society participation also garnered the attention of high-level university administrators along with an invitation to join the Duke Loyalty Fund, where he managed and participated in student phone-a-thons and more importantly, learned firsthand of the power of philanthropy.
Templeton continued his volunteerism as an alum, serving as president of the Duke alumni group in San Francisco, a donor to the Trinity Annual Fund, and a consistent co-chair of his class of 1971 reunions. (The only reunion he has missed to date was in 1996, during which he was on active duty with the Navy Reserve.)
Every step of the way, he says, has been about building a legacy for those who come after him.
“My parents gave me the courage and opportunity to pursue knowledge, excellence and leadership. Since I arrived at Duke in 1967, my expectations have been exceeded,” Templeton says. “I hope to preserve this legacy with my estate gift to Duke University.”
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