Bio-Turner, FrankGeorge

Frank George Turner
(1884-1946)

They resided on Jacobs Creek Road in South Huntington Township, Westmoreland County. Circa 1918, when he registered for the federal draft during World War I, he was employed by the Strawn-Blaney Coal Company of Allenport, PA. Later, in the 1940s, they lived at Ohiopyle.

The Turners had at least 11 children -- Mary Louise Dean Shipley, Warren Frank Turner, Leah Bernadine Turner, Dora Turner, Kenneth G. Turner, Harold E. Turner, David Turner, Verna Wise, Mabel Ridley, Ruth Cutright and Nancy Johnson. Sadly, two daughters died in infancy -- Dora (Feb. 25, 1910, age 27 days) and Leah Bernadine (1935).

Tragedy struck twice in 1946 -- first in October, when married daughter Mary Louise Dean Shipley died, leaving her three young sons as orphans. The boys were taken into Frank and Bertha's home to raise.

The second horrible event of that year was when Frank himself was killed when the automobile in which he was a passenger collided with a truck the day before Christmas Eve 1946. The accident occurred on U.S. Route 40 near Flint Rock Park, east of Uniontown, and made front-page headlines in the Connellsville Daily Courier. He was laid to rest at Bryner Ridge Cemetery, along the Farmington-Ohiopyle Road.

Bertha outlived her husband by almost four decades. Grandchildren remember fondly that she always had homemade bread and gravy ready for visitors anytime they came. The Uniontown newspaper said she "was a life long resident of the area. She was a homemaker and was a member of the Lemont United Methodist Church."

Turners circa 1943-- back row, l-r: Mary & Gene Shipley, Frank Turner, Bill & Verna Wise, Toots & Warren Turner, Dot & Harold Turner, Mabel Ridley, Hannah & Kenneth Turner. Middle, l-r: Frank Dean, Nancy Johnson, Dave Turner, Corky, Vincent Dean, Bertha Turner, Eddie Dean. Front: Gerald, Ruth, Paul, Dottie

Bertha passed away on July 7, 1985, at the age of 95. She was interred beside her husband, and the words "23rd Psalm" were inscribed on the face of their grave marker.

Son Warren Frank Turner (1911-1992) married Naomi Shaeffer (1915-1965). They resided in Ohiopyle, Fayette County.

Son Harold E. Turner (1914-1983) married Dorothy Litten (1920-2006) and Mary Sims. They made their home primarily in the coal mine patch town of Republic, Fayette County, and later for a short time in Ambridge, Beaver County, PA. Harold died in 1983.

Daughter Verna J. Turner married Clarence William Wise (1918-1992). They lived in Lemont Furnace/Cove Run, Fayette County. Clarence passed away in 1992 at the age of 74.

Son Kenneth George Turner (1921-2007) lived in Ohiopyle and Hopwood, Fayette County, and was married five times -- to Hannah Thorpe (1924-1992), Zelda Provance (1925-2005), Mamie Iseley (1915-1982), Dorothy Currin and Thelma Luckey. Kenneth served in the US Army during three major U.S. armed conflicts -- World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War. In January 1950, he received an Army commendation "for outstanding performance of duty as a military escort in the program of returning war dead," said a local newspaper. "The commendation was in recognition of Sgt. Turner's service in escorting the remains of American servicemen who died overseas and whose bodies have been returned here for final burial... Turner and other trained military escorts accompany each deceased serviceman from New York to the place of final burial selected by next of kin. After contacting the family on arriving at the serviceman's home town, the escorting soldier offers his services and presents the country's flag to the next of kin at the conclusion of the graveside service." He retired from the Army at the end of 1971 with the rank of command sergeant major. He died on May 10, 2007, just a week after his 86th birthday.

Daughter Mabel Turner married Arnold Ridley (1925-1992). As a young woman, Mabel lived in Fairmont, Marion County, WV. Later, after marriage, she and Arnold resided in Lemont Furnace, across the street from his mother and married sister Verna Wise.

Daughter Ruth "Corkie" Turner (1924-1981) married Richard Cutright (1924-1990). Their residence was in Fairmont.

Son David G. Turner married Margaret Van Swearingen (1925-2002). They made their home in Uniontown, Fayette County. Margaret died at the age of 77 on June 7, 2002.

Daughter Nancy M. Turner married Theodore Clark Johnson. They have lived in Newport News, VA, most of their married life together.

Portraits and grave marker photos courtesy of Brenda (Turner) Blake. Also see the Find-A-Grave webpages for Bryer Ridge Cemetery