William Andrew "Sonny" Turner

Scotia- William Andrew Turner, known fondly to family and friends as "Sonny," passed away

peacefully on February 14, 2026, in Scotia, NY, at the age of 88.

Born in Montgomery, Alabama, on May 28, 1937, to Charles Turner and Alzadie Burrell Turner,

he was the tenth of eleven children. At some point during the 1940's the Turner family moved

to Gobler, Missouri, where Sonny's father was a tenant farmer who grew cotton and farmed his

land with a mule team. As a boy, Sonny drove that team and was proud when his father

thought he was old and big enough to help by driving the tractor the family had acquired.

By 1953, only a few of the older children were still living on the farm, but the last of the siblings

had been born- Earl, now the eleventh and final child. All the others had moved to the North,

most to Troy, NY. Sonny's father asked him and his younger brother whether they should head

to Chicago, where some had moved, or to Troy. The boys weighed in, and the family headed to

the great Northeast.

Sonny was a typical Southern farm boy, so when he entered Troy High School wearing his bib

overalls and newsboy cap, he was the easy target of jokes and mockery. He was also a proud

young man with considerable self-respect, so a decision to quit school and join the Marine

Corps in 1954 led to one of the most meaningful and consequential choices of his life. His

training at Camp Lejeune and his service experiences in jungle training in Panama, on rolling

and ocean-battering troop transport ships, and as a Military Police officer, along with having

lived a boyhood no stranger to hard work and responsibility, further shaped a dependable,

resilient, and independent character. This military service put Sonny in the ranks of his father,

who served in Europe in World War I; two older brothers, who served in WW II, as well as a

brother-in-law, who helped liberate a concentration camp; a brother who served in Korea; and

eventually Earl, who served and was wounded in Vietnam. Sonny was pleased to be in that

company.

Sonny came home in 1956 to establish himself in the adult world. Getting jobs at Chuckrow

Chicken processing plant and Got to Be Good Soda Company, he then started a serious work life

at Republic Steel.

During this time, he also earned his GED. He found much joy developing an intense interest in

weight lifting with his brother Earl and in learning to play conga drums with musical pals.

That musical talent led to a life-changing experience in 1963 when he signed on with a couple

of friends to provide drumming for SUNYA Arena Summer Theater's production of Eugene

O'Neill's "The Emperor Jones." Dr. Jarka Burian, the play's director, wanted the audience, which

would be sitting on bleachers on three sides of a square backed by drapes, to feel surrounded

by the menacing visions and terrors of the Caribbean jungle that Jones escapes into after his

subjects rebel. Raw live drum music emanating into the open arena playing area from the

backstage behind drapes achieved that effect perfectly.

This experience changed Sonny's life because during that production he met the woman who

would become his wife-- Lillian Schmidt, a SUNYA student in charge of costumes for "The

Emperor Jones." In five years, they would marry and have a truly blissful life together for 57

years.

In the later '60's, Sonny began working for the Ford Motor Company in Green Island, thanks to

the encouragement of a brother-in-law. Sonny and Lillian lived in Schenectady and in the '80's

moved to Scotia. During this time Lillian taught at Linton High School in Schenectady and then

at Niskayuna High School until her retirement. When Ford closed the Green Island plant in

1988, it offered workers who chose not to transfer to Michigan the opportunity to have college

tuition covered by the company. This was a coup for Sonny, who had developed a serious

interest in fitness, weight training, and physical therapy. He took advantage of the offer and

earned an Associate's Degree from Maria College and then, because Niskayuna High School was

establishing a Fitness Center, he became its supervisor for the last five years of his wife's career

with the district.

Over the course of Sonny's long life--88 years--he developed many interests, had many favorite

experiences, and loved the many parts of his life that he was able to enjoy with the many family

members and friends whose company meant so much to him.

Those predeceasing him are his parents, Charles and Alzadie Burrell Turner; his siblings Mary,

Aldora, Charles Jr., Frankie, Henry, Fitzgerald, Creola, Kate, and Willodell.

Those surviving are his wife Lillian, his brother Earl and his wife Betty, his brother- and sister-in-

law Lynn and Linda Seal, and his sister-in-law Virginia Rotundo. He is also survived by many

nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Calling hours will be held on Saturday, February 28th from 2pm to 4pm at the Glenville Funeral

Home, 9 Glenridge Road, Glenville, followed by a Celebration of Life service at 4pm. Military

honors will be bestowed upon Sonny to complete his services.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Sonny's memory can be made to the Animal Protective

Foundation, 53 Maple Avenue, Schenectady, NY 12302.