On Saturday, January 22, 2022, Jack Turner passed into the waiting arms of our Lord.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marion Turner, a stepdaughter, Toni Montgomery, his sister Gertie Lou Jean, his brothers Wallace Edwin Turner and Jerry Rufus Turner.
He is survived by his daughters, Gwen Turner of Albuquerque and Bessie Stearns of Vancouver, Washington, his stepson, Sal Corpaci of St. George, Utah, and his stepdaughter, Gail Chou of Reno, Nevada. He was also beloved by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
He is also survived by his sister, Mary Opal Jones of Abilene, and two brothers, Joe Turner of Portales, New Mexico, and Jim Turner of Baker, Florida. They described themselves as “three brothers, three wars, and three branches of service.”
He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Hillsboro, Texas, and very active in supporting the Boy Scouts.
He was born in Indian Springs, Texas in Brown County on March 6, 1927 to E. Clark Turner and Cora Alice (née Maxwell) Turner. They were living in Covington, Texas in 1944 when he and a boyhood friend volunteered to serve together in the Navy during WWII. They served on the minesweeper U.S.S. Skirmish, which saw action in the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and participated in the occupation of Japan and the demining of Korea. He served a total of 22 months, and was honorably discharged in January, 1946. He spoke of his crew being called to the side of the ship at Iwo Jima, where they watched the flag on Mount Suribachi be raised.
He moved with the family to Pie Town, New Mexico, where he worked in the Forestry Service, cattle drives, and served as the coroner of Catron County. He moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and served on its police force. In 1950, he moved to Fort Worth, Texas and served on its police force for 19 years. After leaving the police force, he worked security at Six Flags and LTV. He met his beloved wife Marian and married her in 1976. He retired from LTV in 1987 and moved to Iowa, where Marian passed away on December 26, 2001. He then returned to Covington, Texas.
Memorial services will be at the Cornerstone Funeral Home in Hillsboro, Texas, 301 W Elm Street, at 10 AM February 4, 2022. Reception will be held at the Boy Scout hall at 915 Corsicana Highway in Hillsboro, next to the Lutheran church. Interment will be in Blanton Cemetery, west of Osceola.