Harry Turner

Harry Allen Turner, 75, of Gulfport, Mississippi, went home to his Lord and Savior on October 10, 2020. He died peacefully at home from Alzheimer’s Disease dementia and was surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Langdale, Alabama, on August 25, 1945, to John William ‘Bill’ Turner and Mildred McGinty Turner.

Harry graduated from Dadeville High School in 1963 as the salutatorian of his class. He continued his education at Auburn University, graduating in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. While at Auburn, he was a member of Theta Xi fraternity.

He began his 50-year career as a registered pharmacist in 1968 at the University of South Alabama Medical Center (formerly Mobile General), which is where he met the love of his life, Martha Ann Williams. They married August 8, 1970, and began their life together that would span over the next 50 years.

In 1971, Harry and his wife moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He worked in a couple of local drug stores like Triplett-Day Drugs and T-D Drugs for 14 years until April 1985 when he opened his own pharmacy, Turner Drugs, located in D’Iberville, MS. He thoroughly enjoyed helping others as a pharmacist and cherished the relationships he formed with so many customers over the next 34 years before retiring and closing Turner Drugs in May 2019.

Harry was most importantly a follower of Christ. He used Christ’s love and his faith to serve others both in the community and church. He was a faithful servant for many years at Handsboro Baptist Church before transferring to First Baptist of Lyman and later First Presbyterian of Gulfport.

In 2007, Harry wrote a letter to one of his grandsons and said, “Care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest to God”. This one sentence perfectly describes our beloved Harry’s life and how he lived and loved. He always had a smile on his face and a hug or a handshake with a compliment to go with it for everyone he greeted. Harry loved Auburn football, spending time with his family, reading, taking care of his dogs, and eating his wife’s southern-style home cooking, especially all things sweet.

While we mourn his loss here on earth, we rejoice knowing that he is with his Savior, Jesus Christ. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, son, and brother. Harry was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Mildred Turner and his sweet sister, Billie Sue Turner. He will be sorely missed by his beloved wife of 50 years, Martha Williams Turner of Gulfport, his daughters Elise Dorman Bair (Todd) of Flower Mound, Texas, and Kimberly Turner Williams (Shaun) of Collierville, Tennessee. He is also survived by eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter: Clayton Allen Williams (Delaney) of Memphis, TN; Chandler Bradford Williams of Nashville, TN; Courtney Lauren Williams, Christian Turner Williams, and Anna Caroline Williams of Collierville, TN; Christopher Tyler Bair, Brandon Nicholas Bair, and Katherine Nicole Bair of Flower Mound, TX; and Rhenora Rose Williams of Memphis.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to 2 special caregivers, Theresa Gibson and Hannah Muchiri, for their compassionate and supportive care while caring for our husband and father.

Friends are invited to join the family for visitation Saturday, October 17, 2020, from 12:00-2:00 P.M.at RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME in Gulfport with a celebration of Mr. Turner’s life to follow at 2:00 P.M. Burial will follow in Memorial Gardens in Mobile, AL.

RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, Gulfport is serving the family and his online guestbook may be viewed, and memories and photos shared at www.riemannfamily.com