The passing of Sir John Templeton provides an opportunity to reflect on “The Big Questions” that were the focus of his philanthropic work.

Templeton, one of the world’s leading investors and philanthropists, died today in Nassau, Bahamas. He was 95. A native of Tennessee, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1987 for the philanthropic work he pursued in his encore career.

In 2006, the John Templeton Foundation helped establish The Purpose Prize to recognize social innovators over 60 with awards of up to $100,000, and remains a major funder. (The Purpose Prize is a project of Civic Ventures, publisher of Encore.org.)

In Appalachian coal country, the underground mines have been shut for decades. But the legacy of coal mining remains in its waterways — and it’s toxic. Streams and ponds gleam from the orange acidic water that fills them, the result of a poisonous discharge of sulfuric acid and iron known as acid mine drainage.

Allan Comp was initially skeptical that much could be done to revitalize the ravaged coal country towns, yet during the past six years the 2007 Purpose Prize Fellow founded an Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team that has resulted in massive environmental cleanup efforts in eight states by volunteers who have contributed more than 100,000 hours. In the process, they have restored the soul of local communities, too.

Sister Eileen McNerney helps make “good men from bad boys” through hands-on job training and job placement.

McNerney, a 2007 Purpose Prize fellow, recently presented her ideas to participants in Changemakers, a network organized by Ashoka, the pioneer in the field of social entrepreneurship. This week, her organization, Taller San Jose was named one of the winners of Ashoka’s Collaborative Changemaker Competition, and will receive a $5,000 Changemaker award.

Taller San Jose was honored for its innovative approach to curbing youth violence through a comprehensive employment program that helps youth “at the edge of crime” or recently incarcerated young people change their behaviors through hands-on job training and placement. More than 90% of previously incarcerated graduates have not re-offended due to the motivating power of paid work.

Dale Olen is the winner of the first Fred Lindner Prize for Social Innovation in Wisconsin, modeled on the Purpose Prize.

It was, as they say, a watershed moment.

At a recent statewide environmental lobbying day, Dale Olen looked on with pride as half a dozen older adults whom he had trained as water advocates lobbied their legislators for the first time.

Olen has taken skills he honed helping people foster healthy relationships with one another and applied them to helping people foster healthy relationships with the earth.

Sara Gonzalez, a 2007 Purpose Prize Winner, died unexpectedly yesterday in her adopted hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.

Gonzalez, 72, was selected from among more than 1,000 nominees to win a $10,000 Purpose Prize for her breakthroughs as President and CEO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. During her tenure, she incubated hundreds of Hispanic businesses, all after she turned 60, in a tremendously fruitful encore career.