A Concordia Parish man, Randy E. Temple, who many call an example of a true public servant, will be laid to rest at 11 a.m. today at Vidalia First Baptist Church.

Temple, 60, died Sunday after a stunningly brief battle with cancer. It was only a few weeks ago that his illness was diagnosed.

A tax collector for Concordia Parish, his job at times was not the most pleasant. However, his co-worker Jon Betts, who serves as a Vidalia alderman, said Temple liked to have fun and made sure his days and those of his co-workers included healthy doses of laughter.

Betts and others have said Temple was old school, in that when he gave his word, you could count on it.

Temple served on the Concordia Parish Police Jury from 1983-1986 and began a new term in 2000, serving until his untimely death Sunday. He was a leader among members of the police jury, serving on personnel, courthouse, finance, economic development and insurance and information technology committees.

Temple enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, fishing and tinkering in his shop.

Betts said Temple took seriously his obligation to represent those who elected him to office. “He was a man of integrity,” he said.

All of us in the Miss-Lou suffer when we lose a leader of Temple’s caliber. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends today.