Don Temple - Honored in 2009

  • photo of Don TempleJohn P. St. John Memorial High School
    Class of 1945

    (Aug. 19, 1927 — March 16, 2013)

    Don Temple was a prominent entrepreneur and philanthropist in the Long Beach, Calif., area. He was an innovator in the development of the self-storage industry and was inducted into the “Wall of Fame” for the National Self Storage Association in September 2009. He has been credited with building the first ground-up, multi-story storage facility in the United States. He was an accomplished private pilot, participating with 21 planes in a 1992 “Around the World” flight in his twin-engine Cessna 421/C, landing by invitation in Moscow to become the first private plane pilot to land there after the overthrow of communism. His dedication and financial support established the Temple Family Cancer Center at Long Beach Community Hospital. He served in both World War II and Korea.