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Bob "Bubba" Turner

Bob Turner Obituary

"Bubba" Turner was a legendary editor at The Tampa Times. A wordsmith, historian and a newspaperman, he as well as anyone understood the value and the relationship of a newspaper to the community it served. In the newsroom, Bubba was a legendary editor. He didn't look like a Bubba. Tall, bald, usually wearing white shirt and tie, he was the newsroom's anchor. Here was a guy who collected dictionaries. If you had a question, and this was in those dark ages before you went directly to Google, you went looking for Turner.

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Published by TBO.com from Dec. 18 to Dec. 23, 2007.

Memories and Condolences
for Bob Turner

14 Entries

Amy R. Mitchell

February 4, 2009

Oh, my. Although I knew Robert was ill, I had idea it would progress so quickly.
I didn't meet Robert and Jean until the mid to late 1980's, thru Jean's work as a volunteer at St Joe Hospital with my mother. As a wannabe wordsmith myself, I enjoyed talking with him. My mother and I would send him clipping from the Tallahassee Democrat: "Grammar Man" articles and bloopers. He loved it.
My condolences to the family, especially Jean.

Love you,

Amy Mitchell, daughter of "N.D.L."

Joe Collum

March 30, 2008

I just heard about Bob's passing, unfortunately three months after the fact. I just wanted to add my two cents. I had the great fortune to work under his gentle guidance as a young reporter right out of college. In addition to being the nicest person I ever worked for, Bob was a very serious journalist who gave me a long leash to find myself as a reporter. I doubt I would have achieved what I did without his astute direction. I've thought about Bubba many, many times over the years with great warmth in my heart. He's one of those people who makes you smile just to think about him. Bob's favorite phrase was "forge ahead..." I'll forge ahead without Bob but grateful that I knew him and worked for him in my formative years. And I'll always smile when I think about him. Great man.

MaryAnn Greenhalgh

December 23, 2007

Robert was one of the nicest men I ever knew.

Howard Barbery

December 22, 2007

Bob was a kind man, he was compassionate,he was certainly an intellectual, but most of all he had integrity. I saw him the afternoon that he passed away, from his conversation, no one would ever have known he was ill. That was his way,
He will be greatly missed.

Steven Perry

December 22, 2007

To say it, Bob was my Stepfather, but that just doesn't say it at all. He walked into our lives one evening on a street corner in Tallahassee when I was around 8 or 9. He was in town to cover the Legislature for the Tampa Times, Mom had just taken us to see Gone with the Wind and we were walking back to the car when we ran into Bob. They talked for what seemed like forever, I had to go to the bathroom.

A few days later he came to dinner where Leslie, my younger sister proceeded to anoint him with a bottle of Seven Seasons shake your own salad dressing. Robo just laughed, wiped it off and for the next 45 years, things got very much better for us.

I never took home a spelling word that didn't get called out until I had it right, I even stopped writing "becuase" for because, though even Robert nearly gave up on that one.

Spelling words weren't all. I'm sure all his newspaper friends remember getting a story back with ROBOCHECKER's chicken scratch all over it in copy pencil. I may not have had much to say in my school papers, but they were letter perfect before they left the house.

I can share memories of Bob's incredible command of the language with all the wordsmiths with whom he worked, but I also got the really good stuff too.

Robo taught me to throw and catch a ball. He turned me on to balsa model airplanes, a hobby I still avidly pursue. He took us on weekend outings and long vacation trips. He was a fount of clearly thought out, sound advice, but only when asked. He was the most intelectually honest and the most responsible person I have ever known. He made my Mother very happy. He taught me by example what it is to be a man.

Robert's passing has left a huge hole in our family, one that will never be filled, and while all the praise and condolences I have read here and elsewhere can never fill that void, hearing it from his friends and coleagues makes that an easier burden to bear. Thank you all for your kind words and remenberances.

Mike Sherard

December 20, 2007

For as many writers Bubba inspired, I'd like to point out he also helped the artists in the newsroom. As a designer at the Tampa Times, I occasionally used currency as graphics/illustrations for financial stories which always made the plate makers nervous. That's a real problem when you're on tight deadlines - you have to get your art in the paper. Enter Bob, who brought me the governmental guidelines as to what was legal and what was not - I never had another problem with the engravers. Thanks, Bubba.

Kathy Faucett

December 20, 2007

His name is Robert, but I called him Rob. My husband always called him Rob, so I did too. It fit.
I will miss him terribly. He has been a part of my life for forty-eight years. I met him right after I met my husband- to- be. In all those years, Rob has been nothing less than a perfect gentleman. He was a good person, and good to be around. He raised my spirits with praise--undeserved, but from his heart.
Rob was a great piano player,but had to be dragged to the bench to play Pinetops. He loved ragtime and
his fingers literally flew over the keys. What a talented man!
Rob and my husband were constantly in touch, either by phone or snail mail. Rob wrote by hand. He never had a computer, and his old typewriter had bitten the dust. He corrected his own errors. He loved riding his bike, and did his part in keeping the city clean by picking up empty cans that others had left behind. When he had enough, he took them to be recycled. Not many people knew this. It was just his way.

The last time I saw Rob was when he was inducted into the Hillsborough High School Hall of Fame in May of this year. He used a cane because he thought he had some arthritis in his leg. It turned out to be much worse. Not one of the people there that evening even entertained the thought that Rob wouldn't be with us long.

It wasn't to be long; not nearly long enough. The mail stopped, but the phone calls continued. The last one was the day before Rob continued his journey without us.

Rob has left us with a lifetime of memories---enough to last a lot longer than all of his friends.

Woody Dubowski

December 19, 2007

Back in the day before political correctness was put into place, I was a "copy boy" in the newsroom of the Tribune/Times building on Kennedy and it was a wonderful place in the mid-60's. I recall Mr. Turner walking through with that magic smile and an energy about him that infected all. He was a "Newpaperman." And I knew that at my tender age then.
I went on to other ventures in newspapering ... maybe as a result of him. And others of that era.
It was, and is, a time to behold.
-30-

Jeff Mangum

December 19, 2007

Bob was exactly the kind of mentor any 22-year-old cub reporter could ever hope to have. I learned about Bob's death today (Dec. 19) from a good friend in Tampa. About a week ago, on Dec. 11, I happened to be speaking with a colleague in Manhattan about the sheer joy of working as a reporter for The Tampa Times -- and I had Bob Turner in mind. I got curious, did a search and came across an Aug. 15 Steve Otto column, which dealt with the closing of the Times and truly captured Bob's essence. I sent the column to my colleague, who did not know either man. His response: "Steve really nails it..."

My condolences to Bob's family and his many friends.

Andrea Brunais

December 19, 2007

What a kind, gentle, intelligent spirit. It took me half a lifetime to realize how much he valued all of our relationships -- we began corresponding 18 months ago. In his last letter to me, in November, he was considerate enough to include a an old LaGaceta newspaper photo of me, Charlie, Noni, Mike Foerster and Susan Hemmingway at lunch. He had saved the clipping all these years! What an editor. What a friend.

Some of the Times staff at Bob Turner's retirement party in 1982. Bubba is in the center of the front row.

Sandra Caswell Hice

December 19, 2007

I'll add to Bill Warren's note that if there is a newspaper in Heaven, Bob has his red pen out and it circling any mistakes! Bob was a kind, gentle soul who touched so many of us in different ways - not just the reporters but the editorial artists as well. I will miss his annual Christmas note with delightful commentary on things from the Florida Gators to politics. Many lives have been made better from just knowing him. I feel very fortunate to have been one of those he influenced. So long, Bubba!

Jon Peck

December 19, 2007

The fact that so many of Bob's former reporters are so deeply affected by his passing is a true testament to the person he was. We'll all miss you, Bubba.

Charlie Robins

December 19, 2007

Old-timers such as myself who worked with Bob for many years on The Tampa Times marveled at his exceptional skills as both a reporter and editor. However, his greatest legacy may be the many fine young reporters who began their careers on The Times, and had the good fortune to have Bob as not just an editor, but as a patient and caring mentor.
I feel a great loss, but also a deep sense of appreciation for all the years he was my colleague and my friend.

Bill Warren

December 18, 2007

Bob Turner was one of the finest individuals I've ever known...and Steve Otto captured the essence of Bob beautifully in his column. If there is a newspaper in heaven, Bob is surely at the helm.

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