Obituary of Christopher D. Turner

Christopher D. ‘Chris’ Turner, born January 8, 1943, died in the comfort of his home on Saturday April 13, 2024, after a brief illness. Chris was the son of the late Robert G. and E. Joyce Turner of Amsterdam, N.Y., and the loving husband of 59 years to the late Josena Kline Van Tassel Turner (Jo) of Amsterdam, N.Y. Chris is survived by his son David C. Turner of Speculator, N.Y., his daughter Laura J.  Turner and her partner Janet Weisenforth of Schenectady, N.Y., grandchildren Katherine Rulison (Greg), Rachel Braccini, and Sarah Braccini (Chris Alberino), and great-grandsons Lorenzo and Cooper Rulison. He is also survived by his brother Peter M. Turner and sister-in-law Deirdre Turner of Little Falls, N.Y., their children Benjamin Turner (Christine) and Rebecca LaManna (Rocco), and their families, and his brother-in-law Christopher Van Tassel (Kathy) of Orleans, MA. and his family.  

Chris was a 1960 National Honor Society graduate of Wilber H. Lynch High School in Amsterdam, N.Y. He continued his education at the State University of New York at Albany, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies magna cum laude. While in college, Chris began a career at Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, eventually relocating with his family in 1972 to Fayetteville, N.Y. Chris and his family remained in Fayetteville until he departed Niagara Mohawk in 1988. They relocated to Schenectady N.Y, where he continued his career in the energy sector, including establishing C.D. Turner Associates/The Turner Group, an independent energy consulting firm. 

In 1991 Chris and Jo moved to Lake Pleasant, N.Y., converting a former summer property to a year-round residence. In a multi-year stint in Warsaw, Poland in the mid-nineties, Chris worked for USAID and was instrumental in converting the Polish energy delivery system in a burgeoning market economy. He was a leader in the field of energy delivery and rate setting, both in the United States and Poland, as well as in Egypt, Armenia and the Philippines. Chris eventually retired to Lake Pleasant full time and served the community as the Director of the Lake Pleasant - Sacandaga Association and Director of the Adirondacks Speculator Regional Chamber of Commerce. In 2019 he and Jo relocated to Niskayuna, NY.  

Chris and his beloved Jo first met as infants and their lives together spanned their entireties until her death. They were adventurous travelers, both for work and pleasure. They were committed to their children, close and extended families, friends, and professional lives. Chris was known for his vast knowledge of historic and current events, approaching each with a wry sense of humor. He was an avid reader, often finishing a book in an afternoon, and spent many summer evenings enjoying a “cocktail cruise” around Lake Pleasant with Jo in his 1942 Chris Craft. 

Chris and his family would like to thank Community Hospice for their support during his last days.  

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Chris’s memory to the Josena Turner Memorial Scholarship fund at Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care, 108 Steele Avenue, Gloversville, N.Y, 12078. 

Friends and loved ones are invited to call at Betz, Rossi, Bellinger and Stewart Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Ave, Amsterdam, NY on Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 2 o’clock until 4 o’clock in the afternoon.