Obituary of John Turner
The hamlet of Scotch Bush in the town of Florida will never be the same after the passing of John Turner on March 9, 2019 at the Buffalo Crossings Rehabilitation Center in The Villages, FL. On December 8, 1939 John was born in Amsterdam, NY to Major “Tip” Turner and Mary Ellen Buckley Turner.
He is survived by his wife, Anne Lamb Turner, of fifty-three years. His immediate family consists of cousins, Joyce Shull, Jean Brown, Richard Turner, Joyce Turner, and Clarence Bussing.
He was a graduate of Wilbur Lynch High School, class of 1959. He worked at the General Electric Co. in Schenectady, NY before starting his Colonial Home Improvement Business. He was a partner in the Johnstown Livestock Sales, operated a monument cleaning business, and Turner’s Antique Shop on Route 30 for many years. He was proprietor of J. Colonial Auto Sales from the 1980’s to the present.
John was an advocate for the town of Florida, he attended many of the town meetings to foster good for the town residents. In the past he was town historian, assessor, and councilman. He was a member of the South Chuctanunda Fish and Game Club, a lifetime member of the Florida Volunteer Fire Department, and President of the Friends of Schoharie Crossing. He was also Superintendent for the Chuctanunda Cemetery for over 30 years, until his retirement last October.
He had a keen interest in history and was a treasure trove of facts relating to both family and town history. He was an avid collector of historical artifacts and classic cars, as is shown by the numerous trophies he was awarded.
He enjoyed his winter home and friends in Leesburg, FL, where he attended many car shows and helped his friend, Greg Hughes, at various flea markets. He often travelled to the south of Florida with his wife’s cousin, Breanne DiDomenico, to peruse the thrift shops. He loved to visit Hawaii with his wife and her cousin, Marylou Werlau, where he would investigate all aspects of the island and their culture. Back home, he looked forward to his nightly visits with his friends at Stewart’s. He treasured his friendships with all the members of the Steve Terleckey Sr. family, and he appreciated their kindness during his illness.
Calling hours will be held Friday evening, June 28th, 2019 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam, NY. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral service, which will be conducted at the funeral home on Saturday morning, June 29th, at 11:00 am with the Reverend Cindy Leonard officiating. Burial will follow at the Chuctanunda Cemetery, Minaville, NY.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Friends of Schoharie Crossing, PO Box 140, Fort Hunter, NY, 12069 or to the Patient Access Foundation (PAN), PO Box 21858, Charlotte, NC, 28222.
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