Tamara Adele Turner

Tamara, you and your book-covered walls were an early inspiration. You served real coffee, dispensed stories and advice with panache. You were a generous and learned friend, with a big heart and a critical mind. You were formidable! And unforgettable. Thank you.

I want to echo Val's comments. Tamara was such a caring, charismatic, and passionate librarian. I valued her perspectives and enjoyed working with her during my time as a hospital librarian in Seattle.

Tamara was the first editor who took what I wrote seriously! And this includes pages and pages of undergraduate writing at the University of California--Berkeley. As a librarian, she gave me invaluable advice about how to do research. As a comrade, I will remember her as a heartfelt secular humanist and a trail blazer with an acerbic sense of humor. Tamara Turner presente!

I had the honor of interviewing Tamara for three different oral history-based projects over a 20 year period the play Hidden History, the intergenerational story project The Bridge, and a feature film, Inlaws & Outlaws. She had a quick wit, an undying passion for social and economic justice, and she was flat-out one of the best storytellers I ever knew. I learned a lot from her and have long considered her one of my heroes. I'm so saddened to hear of her passing but take immense solace...

TT you will be sorely missed. There is only one of you. Your sense of humor, your critical tongue about injustice, your love of life, you teasing me, your advice, and support and your wit, I will remember always. Love you so much.

A wonderful obituary for Tamara, who played such an important role as an early pioneer for LGBTQ rights both in the Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women and in the Seattle area generally. Strong and brave, she survived a lot both personally and politically, outlasting the McCarthy era, Nixon, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II -- you get the idea.

I would just like to note that her quick wit could often be scathing, and as such a great riposte to the powers-that-be.

My condolences to Raya and to all who loved Tamara. She was a huge presence in my early librarian career through SAHLC, and I always admired her spirit. May you each find comfort in your memories.