Obituary

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." 2nd Timothy 4:7

1. C. Turner, Sr. was enlisted into service on July 4, 1924, in Attala County, Mississippi, to the late Charlie and Annie Mae Chambers Turner. He was the youngest of four children. His biological father died when M. C. was young, and his mother married Henry Flanigan Orange of Kilin, Mississippi, who raised him and his brothers and was an exceptional husband, step-father and role-model.

All of his siblings, Earnest Turner, Freedman Turner, Charlie Turner, and Bernard Whitney, preceded him in death.

1. C. confessed Christ as his personal Savior at an early age and joined Rose Hill M.B. Church under the leadership of the late Reverend Green Townsend. When this church was burned in the 1970s, he and his family joined Zion Travelers M.B. Church under the leadership of the late Reverend Andrew B. Brown. At Zion Travelers, he served faithfully as Deacon, Sunday School Superintendent, Chairman of the Deacon Board, Trustee, Historian, and on a host of other ministries and committees within the church. He was a faithful, devoted member and servant until God called the spirit of our dearly beloved PaPa home to be with Him throughout eternity.

It was spoken and he heard, well done, my faithful servant. It was then that his spirit-filled soul was discharged from his labor in the early morning on Thursday, October 3, 2019.

1946. C. was educated in the Yazoo School System and during his service in the United States Army where he served in World War II as a Tank Driver. After his service in the war, he returned to Yazoo County, as an outstanding serviceman and was honorably discharged in July of 1946.

Upon completing his tour of duty in the United States Army, M. C. began his career as a Sharecropper and Farm Manager working contractually throughout several counties in the Mississippi Delta.

He was an active member of the American Legion Post #201 in Yazoo City, Mississippi, where he served faithfully until his death.

1. C. truly enjoyed fishing, trotlining, hunting, and trapping; however, gardening was his passionate hobby. He especially delighted in growing greens, seasonal peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers. In his golden years when he was no longer able to engage in many of these leisures, he began to regularly fellowship with members of the community each morning at the McDonalds in Belzoni and Yazoo City. M. C. was exceptionally revered by all who knew him as a community advocate and leader, superior historian, lover of politics, and a Christian friend and confidant to a multitude of people from multi-generations.

In 1943, M. C. married the late Sammie Mae Haywood and to that union seven children were born.  He later married the late Bertha Lee Wilson in 1962, a beautiful widower with four children, and to this union three children were born.

He leaves to cherish his memories fourteen children (four sons and ten daughters): M. C. (Ann) Turner, Jr, of Augusta, Georgia, Douglas (Lula Mae) Turner of Greenville, Mississippi, Roy Franklin Turner of Aurora, Colorado, James Grayer of Hammond, Louisiana, Wanetta Turner-Johnson of Chicago, Illinois, Gladys (Johnny) Redmond of Hampton, Bobbie Jean (Danny) Williams of Memphis, Tennessee, Lucille Grayer of Yazoo City, Mississippi, Dorothy (Jessie, Sr.) Jackson of Jackson, Mississippi, Virginia, Ruby Jean (Louis) Woodard of Washington, DC, Kathleen Turner of Silver City, Mississippi, Zina (Freddie) Allen of Silver City, Mississippi, Janice Rodgers of Dallas, Texas, and Sharon Turner-Davis of Madison, Mississippi. He was preceded in death by two sons, Johnny B. Turner, Sr., and Phillip (Nina) Rodgers.

He was blessed with forty-six (46) grandchildren: Lee Carter, Olivia Turner-Braswell, Rasheda (Nathaniel) Morris, DeCarroll Bridges, Erik Turner, Johnny B. Turner, Jr., Stewart Butler, Jimmie Dale Turner (deceased), Douglas Dumas, Terrance Dumas, Courtney Holmes, Nancy Hanks, Roy Turner, Jr., Rayshun Turner, Ramon Turner, Ramona Turner, Marcus Miles, Roderick Patterson, Roderick Grayer, Phyllis Washington, Almarie Ball-Hollis, Sandra (Herman) Carter, Tonie Ball, Jennifer (L.V.) Hall, Stephanie Turner, Taffienna Johnson, Rayonda Johnson, Thomas (Faye) Johnson, Johnny Redmond, Jr. (deceased), LaToya Redmond, Jessie Jackson, Jr., Octavia Jackson, Joseph Jackson, Penny Jackson, Ahmad Woodard, Frances Woodard, Matthew Woodard, Melinda (Wayne) Cowan, Roderick Shermaine Grayer (deceased), Nicole (Christopher) Cole, Jeremy Grayer, Bertha Rayonda Turner, who was dear to his heart and whom he raised from birth, Aleah Jalese Allen, Craig Rodgers, Shari Antoniette Perkins, and Shane LaRoy Davis;

Fifty-nine (49) great-grandchildren, twenty-two (22) great-great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and loved ones.