PETER MERRICK TURNER

Grand Rapids, MI Peter Merrick Turner, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, passed away September 1, 2025, at the age of 94, after a period of declining health. It was a gentle close to a long, generous, and well-lived life - one that began in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and carried him through Montreal, back to Toronto, and then to North Muskegon, Michigan, before settling in Grand Rapids in 2015. Peter was predeceased by his wife, Beverley (Brophey); his second wife, Alix (Robertson); his older brother, Bill; and is survived by his partner, Jean Louise Enright, of Grand Rapids, who was his love and support for the last quarter-century; his three sons, Peter (Margot, first wife, Rebecca), Christopher (Judith), and David (Martha); five beloved grandchildren, Elizabeth, MacKenzie, Cameron, Peter III, and Henry; cousins, nieces, and nephews. A graduate of the University of Toronto (B Eng.) and Harvard Business School (MBA), Peter had a remarkable gift for planning and organization. After college summers working in the Canadian wilderness, he had a career with Texaco and Molson Breweries in Canada before moving to Muskegon, where he led Bennett Pump Co. and was an executive with SPX Corporation. He was a lifelong avid reader and supporter of the visual and performing arts. Peter's deepest joy came from his community service, philanthropy, and his love of bringing friends and family together. From chairing the Salvation Army's Red Shield campaign in Montreal to serving on the boards of Hackley Hospital, the West Shore Symphony Orchestra, and the Muskegon Community Foundation, he gave his time, leadership, and heart generously. His generosity was an inheritance from his father, William Ian MacKenzie Turner, and a gift that he shared with his family and community. May we all learn to care for others and the places we live the way that Peter did, and remember him for his big smile and his bow ties. Peter cherished his many club affiliations, but his proudest was a lifetime membership in the Lake O'Hara (BC) Trails Club. High in the snow-capped Canadian Rockies - where he and Beverley honeymooned and where the family spent treasured holidays - Peter will soon return once again, where Bev's remains rest, surrounded for eternity by the beauty of the mountains, where he shared his love of adventure and travel with those that he loved. A celebration of Peter's life will be held at a later date this fall at Mayflower Congregational Church in Grand Rapids. Gifts in Peter's memory may be made to Muskegon Community Foundation (https://cffmc.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=2557) or the University of Toronto (https://engage.utoronto.ca/JanePhillipsMemorialCampaign).