Whether he was playing his favorite video game “Fortnite” or sharing a Busch Light beer with his friends, Temple was a joy to be around, his family and friends said.

“Willie was a loving kid,” said his mother, Angela Davis, who owns Angela’s Hair & More Beauty Supply. “He loved his family and his girlfriend (Libbie Lowry) a lot. He’s very proud of us and our accomplishments. He represented us to the fullest.”

Temple died unexpectedly on Sept. 2 from what his family believes was complications from asthma.

Temple worked at Hamilton Redi-Mix, a concrete supplier in Fort Dodge. And according to his mother, Temple always wanted to pour concrete for his stepdad, Demetrius Gully, a local contractor.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Willie “Woody” Temple Jr., is pictured here with his girlfriend, Libbie Lowry, at a birthday party. Temple passed away Sept. 2.

“He was always saying how he wanted to come pour for his first time,” Gully recalled. “One of the last times we had to cancel the concrete, so he didn’t make it.”

When Temple wasn’t on the job, he enjoyed his video games — especially Fortnite, according to Lowry.

“He was embarrassed to tell me how much he spent on Fortnite,” Lowry said as she laughed. “He spent $130 one month.”

Fortnite is one of the most popular battle royale games, developed by Epic Games. In the game, players drop into a map, either on their own or with a team, alongside multiple other players.

And Temple was always up for an adventure, even if some of them ended badly, according to his older brother, Javion Davis.

“We had a lot of fun times,” Javion Davis said. “One time we were watching an X-Men movie and I have this really imaginative and creative mind. When I saw the guy with wings, I said, ‘Woody, we can fly.’ So we walked to the stairs in my grandparents’ house and I said, ‘jump from this stair to this stair and I’ll catch you.'”

Angela Davis was quick to point out that this was 13 stairs Temple was about to try and jump.

When he finally did, the end result was broken leg, according to Javion Davis.

“My grandparents heard everything,” Javion Davis said. “We broke my brother’s leg because we thought he could fly. And now I believe he’s actually flying.”

In terms of Temple’s nickname, his mother said he’s been called Woody since he was 4 years old.

“He never liked Willie,” Angela Davis said. “I haven’t called him anything else but that. The only child I have with a nickname.”

The name was inspired by the yellow character named “Woodstock” from the comic strip “Peanuts.”

Temple was well-known and well-liked in the community, Angela Davis said.

“He knew everybody,” she said.

Brother Davion Goodell had only known Temple for about a year, but said in that short amount of time, Temple treated him like they’d known each other for a lifetime

“I knew him for a year but in that year he showed me so much love,” Goodell said. “He made Colten (brother) and I feel like we were brothers and we were. He loved us so much. I’ll never ever forget the times we had.”

Goodell said he’s having trouble accepting what has happened.

“I don’t know — I don’t believe it,” Goodell said.

Cousin Mercedes Mosley said she hopes to emulate Temple in the way that he treated others.

“I knew, but I learned a little more with him being gone to love and like everyone and don’t discriminate,” Mosley said. “He was a person — no matter who you were — he was kind. He didn’t have enemies. Full of life. His life is gone too soon.”

Goodell said most people wouldn’t expect a person of his size to be as nice as he was.

“He’s a big burly dude, but he’s a softy,” Goodell said.

“A gentle giant,” his mother added.