Dr. Mark J. Temmer
Dr. Mark J. Temmer, professor emeritus of Comparative and French Literature, passed away peacefully in his sleep in Santa Barbara on Friday June 6, 2014. He was 92 years old. Dr. Temmer was a unique, worldly, inimitable man, a true gentleman and scholar, and a good friend to many.
Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Switzerland, he returned to the United States enlisting in the US Army in 1942 as a Private in the Signal Corps. He earned his PHD in French Literature at Yale University under the G.I. Bill after the war. He taught at Brown University and the University of New Mexico before settling at the University of California at Santa Barbara where he remained for 35 years. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for French Literature and a Camargo Foundation Fellowship in poetry while at UCSB.
During his teaching career, he built a solid following of students who enrolled in every course he taught, both at UCSB and at Santa Barbara City College’s Adult Education Program. He published several academic books, among them Samuel Johnson and Three Infidels: Rousseau, Voltaire, Diderot, 1988.
Dr. Temmer’s passion for literature and languages also extended beyond professional life and he wrote creatively and with rich imagination, poetry, short stories, plays and delightful fantasy fables.
Mark lived in Europe and the U.S. and traveled extensively in both. He loved camping, expecially in the National Parks in Alaska and Canada.
He was a loyal and generous friend, nurturing and keeping close friendships for many decades. He will be much missed.
Mark is survived by his wife, Jenny Imhoof, his daughter, Melanie Temmer, his son, Michael Temmer, and granddaughter, Idalja Temmer.
There will be a celebration of his life on Saturday, August 23rd, 2014 at Manning Park, Site # 6 in Montecito from 3 to 7 pm. There will be selected readings from his works. Those wishing to participate are welcome to do so.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the National Park Conservation Association would be greatly appreciated.