Patsy M. Turner

Patsy M. Turner

Patsy Magee Turner was born May 25, 1923, in Springfield, Missouri, the daughter of Russell and Gladys (Hutchens) Magee, and died February 13, 2015, at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Andrew and Judith Turner, in Santa Rosa, California. Pat attended elementary school in Springfield and went to high school in Warrensburg, Missouri. She graduated from Central Missouri State College in Warrensburg, and joined the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA), being first assigned to the province of Kiangsu in China in 1946. Later employed by the Foreign Service of the U.S. State Department, she worked in the Consulate General at Shanghai, where she met and married Vice Consul Allen Richard Turner in 1949. Following the Communist takeover in Shanghai, they were assigned to the Embassy in Tokyo, and continued to serve in the Foreign Service at Antwerp, Belgium; Windsor, Canada; Havana, Cuba; Washington D.C.; Caracas, Venezuela; and London, England. After the death of her husband, Dick, in London, Mrs. Turner returned to Springfield in 1977 and worked as a certified legal secretary for a number of years.

A firm believer in activism and volunteer service, Pat was especially interested in working with organizations serving youth. While stationed in London, she acted as the Girl Scout representative from the United Kingdom on the North Atlantic Girl Scout Board in Heidelberg and she served a number of years on the Dogwood Trails Girl Scout Council Board in Springfield. She was an early volunteer CASA advocate and later served on the CASA Springfield Board. She was a Crosslines volunteer and an early member of the Springfield Friends of the Library, including helping in the Between Friends gift shop at the Library Center. She was a member of the Southwest Missouri Museum Associates, the Living Arts Group, the Art Museum Board and PEO Chapter IA. As a long-time member of South Street Christian Church, she also served as an Elder.

Pat was preceded in death by her husband, Allen Richard Turner and her parents, Gladys and Russell Magee. She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law Dr. Robert and Rosemary Magee of El Dorado Springs, daughter Susan Turner of West Plains, MO, son and daughter-in-law , Andrew and Judith Turner of Santa Rosa, California, daughter Kathleen Turner of New York City, and son and daughter-in-law David and Amanda Wolfe Turner of Wellington, New Zealand . She is also survived by granddaughters Rachel Turner Weiss and Molly Turner and by step grandchildren Maya Aaron-Blue and Noah Aaron-Blue, and by sisters-in law Sarah Turner of South Carolina and Sally Turner of California. Her bravery and spirit have influenced many. Her children and friends will celebrate and miss her always.

Funeral services will be held at South Street Christian Church on Friday, February 20th, 3:00 p.m., under the direction of Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home, followed by a private burial for family and closest friends at Maple Park Cemetery. Memorials may be given in her honor to the Brentwood Library Foundation, P.O. Box 760, Springfield, MO 65810.