Obituary of Emily Kristine Temte

When a smile as bright as Emily's is gone it's like a star we navigate by disappears, a black spot in the night sky. We won’t see a smile that shines like that again. Emily Kristine Temte left us behind, gone on to shine bright wherever it is that we fall into when we leave the world behind.

She was a  wife who loved her husband deeply, a mother who was so proud of her kids, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend to so many, a punk, a singer with the voice of a songbird, a freak, a misfit, a freckled beauty,a lover of the unloved, a person who made you feel warm when she turned that smile onto you, a tough badass, a soft sweetheart, a lost girl, a woman of deep strength and roots, a nurse, a caretaker, a healer, a brave thing, a Minnesotan,  a Seattleite, a Portlander, a whatever they call people who live in olympia-er, a business owner, a bicyclist, a traveler, a vagabond, a burner, an artist, an addict, a sober woman, a teacher, a feminist, an advocate, a maniac, a friend... a friend to so many. She gave love freely and being next to her made you feel that glow, made you feel special, made you feel loved.  She was a star.

When a star dies, when it’s spent all of its fuel, when it’s given as much of its warmth as it can, it collapses; it falls into itself and explodes into the silent mist;  it goes supernova, shooting its elements out into the infinity of space. Its endless warmth gives way to a memory of the warmth it gave.

Emily leaves us all behind with those memories. With the memory of what it felt like to be loved by her and to love her back.  She leaves behind her husband Caleb who loved her fiercely and her brilliant sparkling children:  Dakota, Calliope and Cassius, all stars themselves made of that brilliant light that loving Emily created.  

She leaves behind her sisters: Sara and Lisa. She leaves behind her mother, Carolyn and goes to meet her late father, Bruce. She leaves behind her nieces and nephew:Tyler, Alexis, Josie, Austin and Hunter. She leaves behind her choir and her clinic, her patients and her people. She leaves us behind, her friends, her community - the people who loved her. The people who were lucky enough to stand in her light. To be blessed by that smile. To be warmed by her.

We invite all who loved her to remember that light, to remember that smile and to keep the warmth of her inside of you. Stars don't really die, they change into something else. They explode. The universe remembers.  

Goodbye Supernova. We will miss you. Safe travels. Smile at God when you meet her. She'll give you a good seat at the next party...We'll meet you there someday- and dance in your glow once more.

Please join us on Friday, January 12, 2024.

Funeral at 2 pm - Cremation Society of MN, 4343 Nicollet Ave. S 55409

Memorial Potluck at 6pm - PAIKKA, 550 Vandalia St. #165 55114

All are welcome to both. This is a dry event please.

Visit BIT.LY/EMILYPOTLUCK to bring a dish to share.