Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Oscar Temores was working to guard the gate of his naval base in Virginia last month when tragedy struck.
A civilian in a pickup truck barreled into Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story traveling on the wrong side of the road, striking Temores in his patrol vehicle on the evening of Nov. 30.
The 23-year-old died from his injuries at an area hospital a short time later.
He leaves behind his wife, Bethany Temores, a teacher, and their 2-year-old son, Damien, of Hanford.
Temores’ body was flown to Naval Air Station Lemoore, not far from where he grew up, and escorted with military honors on Thursday to a funeral home in Hanford.
Family who gathered there remembered Temores as funny, happy, social, humble and hard-working – a charismatic young man who lit up every room he was in with his smile, and who always put his family first.
Temores was first exposed to U.S. Navy life as a boy, watching fighter jets from the Lemoore air station fly over his family’s home.
“He used to tell my mom, ‘Grandma, one of these days, you’re going to see me fly those jets,’” said Temores’ mother, Celina Martinez.
The Lemoore High School graduate joined the Navy over a year ago. His dreams changed slightly with the goal of eventually returning home to work as a police officer while continuing to serve in the Navy Reserve, his mother said.
Temores had planned to visit his family in California next month. He purchased a plane ticket home the same day he was killed.
The man who struck his patrol car, Nathaniel Lee Campbell, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Martinez last saw her son this spring, when he arrived at her work at a tomato plant as a surprise for her birthday. Temores “always did things like that for us” his mother said of that thoughtful and exciting reunion.
Condolences for the Temores family have poured in from around the country, including from Rep. TJ Cox, D-Fresno.
A GoFundMe donation account to help Temores’ family had raised over $21,000 as of Thursday.
That support, and the many thoughts and prayers extended to their family, has meant a lot to all of them, said brother Ricky Temores after the procession delivered Temores’ body to the funeral home.
“The amount of people who stood and said goodbye to my brother,” he said, “and paid their respects was a tribute that I could never ever repay.”
Services for Oscar Temores
Rosary: 6 p.m. Friday at Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles Catholic Church, 870 N. Lemoore Ave., Lemoore
Viewing: 5-7 p.m. Friday at Saint Peter’s
Funeral mass: 10 a.m. Saturday at Saint Peter’s
Burial: 11 a.m. Saturday at Lemoore Cemetery, 1441 N. Lemoore Ave., Lemoore
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