Richard J Turner's Obituary
Richard James Turner, 84, passed away April 17, 2015 at home in Clearwater surrounded by family. He was born in Port Allegany, PA, Mar. 2, 1931. He graduated from Port Allegany High School in 1949 and attend Mansfield State College and Pennsylvania State University, before joining the U.S. Air Force in 1952. He married his childhood sweetheart, Patricia Curran Donovan, in 1953, and they moved to Cocoa Beach, FL., where he was stationed on Patrick Air Force Base. He served a tour of duty in Bitburg, Germany, and Tunisia in North Africa. After leaving the USAF in 1955, the couple moved to Annapolis, MD, where he was employed as an engineer with Westinghouse, in Baltimore and enrolled part-time in Johns Hopkins University. After graduating with a degree in electrical engineering, the young family moved to Clearwater in 1962 and Richard joined Honeywell, and worked as a manager on many of the company’s aerospace and defense guidance systems, including the Minuteman, Poseidon and the Viking lander. He retired in 1990.
He was preceded in death by his parents, E. Temple Turner and Gertrude Hultz Turner; his brothers, Lynton and Clayton; and his wife, Patricia. Richard is survived by his wife of 12 years, Gloria Suminsin Ng Turner; and his four children: Richard Evan (Adrienne) Turner; Melissa Ann (Thomas Oliver) Turner; Thomas Patrick Turner; and Joseph Donovan (Julie) Turner; grandchildren, Charles and William (Lisa) Turner; Lauren and Patrick Bennett, and Rylan Turner; and great grandchildren, Anna and Emma Turner. He has five stepchildren and twelve step-grandchildren with Gloria.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 pm followed by a service at 2pm Tuesday April 21, at Moss Feaster Funeral Home, 693 S. Belcher Road Clearwater. In lieu of flowers please make donations to any local AMVETS group.
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