Thomas Neal Turrell

1952 - 2026

Thomas Neal Turrell, 73

Thomas "Tom" N. Turrell of Post Falls Idaho passed away January 1, 2026, New Years Day. He is survived by his wife Rackel "Candice" and daughter Teryn Nova Turrell, bothers Tim (Peggy) Turrell, Tracy (Lynda) Turrell and Terry N. Turrell, along with ex-wife Jeannie (Lunceford) Quade, and adult children Jeremy, Tessa, and Taylor, grandchildren and many cousins, nieces and nephews

Tom was born in Spokane, WA at Deaconess Hospital to Herb and Marian (Weiler) Turrell, October 2, 1952 their third child. He is preceded in death by his parents, grandparents Harry & Ruth Turrell, Jacob and Florence Weiler, sister-in-law Lonnie Turrell and nephew T. Ryan Turrell .

Tom was a very good athlete in school especially at baseball Tom was a catcher and his Irish twin brother Tim was a pitcher. Tom eventually earned an athletic scholarship to Idaho State University in Pocatello after high school graduation in 1971. His brother Tim later joined him until ISU dissolved their baseball program. Tom returned to Coeur d'Alene and went to Spokane Community College and learned welding and later diesel mechanics. He was a certified welder and Master Journeyman Diesel Mechanic/Engineer. He worked in Alaska on the North Slope for over eight sea lifts, the gulf of Alaska, Sacramento, Salt Lake, the Bakken oil patch in North Dakota, and 13 counties in Africa where he met his wife Rackel and retired in Solwezi, Zambia near her family.

Some of Tom's friends called him the 'most interesting man in the world ', he crammed 10 lifetimes in his 73 years . Tom was a cancer survivor from his first bout with the disease 23 years ago, sadly it returned this past year and his health failed with his passing on New Years Day.

There will be no formal service, but there is a family and friends gathering planned for Saturday, January 24th from 12-3pm at his brother Tim's home at 2855 W. Yukon Avenue, Post Falls, ID. This will also be fundraiser for his wife and child to help with expenses and return home. Non-alcoholic beverages, soup and chili will be provided, if you can please bring an hors d'oeurve or side dish., byob.