Ralph William Turner Jr.

Ralph William 'Bill' Turner Jr.
HOLLIS -- R. William 'Bill' Turner, husband of Carla Baade Turner, passed away at home on April 15, 2014, surrounded by his family and dog, Penny.
He was born in Portland on July 28, 1941, the son of Frances (Eckhardt) and Ralph William Turner. Most of his early years were spent in Exeter, N.H., where his parents operated the Emerson School for Boys.
Bill graduated from Governor Dummer Academy in South Byfield, Mass., was a 1964 graduate of Bates College with a BA in history, and completed graduate studies at the University of New Hampshire in the Education and Educational Management program.
Bill went on to work in education for a decade, primarily as a history, social studies and math teacher in Maine and New Hampshire, where he also served as an athletic director and coach of many wrestling, track, and cross country teams.
After a four-year stint as a real estate broker in Hollis, he worked several years for York County Extension Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 1976 he went on to work for the United States Postal Service where he remained until his retirement in 2001.
During his tenure with the USPS, he served on the Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Advisory Committees, and served as acting post master for a couple years. His 25-year career with the USPS was a sidebar to a real life well-lived.
For many years Bill was Chairman of the MSAD #6 School Board where he chaired numerous committees.
He has been described as a natural leader and extremely perceptive, maintaining a balance of idealism and realism. Always personable and tactful, and 'a man of great integrity,' Bill had an unusual commitment to social service. He was open-minded and a risk-taker, yet remained a man of principles. Bill's civic engagement was deeply seeded.
He also served on the Hollis Planning Board, the Saco River Corridor Commission and the Hollis Land Use Steering Committee.
Bill was a lover of family, and was extremely proud of his sons; Tom's accomplishments at the U.S. Naval Academy and as a career Marine, and Chad's long and successful career at the Milton Caterpillar Dealership. He shared many awesome memories with them hunting, fishing, camping, and of course, cutting woodÉlots of wood!
He traveled extensively over North America, Canada to Mexico and everywhere in between, spending as much time as he could with Carla, his wife of nearly 30 years, sharing a bucket list of memorable adventures. These adventures
Ralph William 'Bill' Turner Jr.
took them to many magical places: dog sledding in Quebec; traveling Lewis & Clark's route; panning for gold in Alaska; sailing from Annapolis to Camden on an America's Cup yacht; hiking above the Arctic Circle; dancing on a glacier in Labrador; visiting many historical landmarks; and much, much more! Spending summer vacations at their Cape Breton cabin, fishing and boating on quiet waterways also brought him much joy.
Mr. Bill had a memory for detail and was a great storyteller. Whether the stories centered on his colorful life, his Canadian heritage, or his quirky family antics, he usually peppered the narratives with his characteristic dry sense of humor, which always brought laughter to the room.
Bill was also a history buff, especially intrigued by the local history of Salmon Falls, the Civil War and WWII. He was an avid reader and owned an exhaustive history book collection. The preservation and conservation of his family's National Historic Registered home, Quillcote, was very important to him.
He also loved tending his beloved woodlot and his extraordinary weed-less vegetable gardens.
Bill is survived by his wife Carla Baade Turner; son Thomas and his wife Christine, and son Chad, all of Hollis; and his step- daughter, Candie and her husband Gary Mayhew of Waterboro. He leaves his sister Virginia and her husband John E. Friberg of Hopkinton, N.H.; and his talented and adored grandchildren, Sean, Jennifer, John (and wife Sarah), Lauren, Jacob, Connor and Cameron. He is also survived by the mother of his sons, Evelyn Horton; many nieces and nephews; life-long friends, Denny Emerson, Ray and Linda Parkin, Mark Acerra, many other dear friends; his dog, Penny; and his beloved roosters. In addition to his parents, Bill was predeceased by his half- brother, James D. Turner.
Bill's wife Carla would like to extend thanks for the support and hospice care provided by her daughter-in-law Christine, and support from friends and relatives during the last days of Bill's life. Bill's family would like to personally thank Dr. Kurt Ebrahim and his staff for eight years of superior care and support.
A funeral service will be held at Tory Hill Meetinghouse (First Congregational Church of Buxton) on Saturday, April 26, 2014, at 2 p.m., with interment at the South Buxton Cemetery. Reception to follow at Quillcote. Arrangements are with Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home, Buxton www.dcpate.com.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bill's memory may be made to:
The Buxton-Hollis Historical Society
P.O. Box 34
Buxton, Maine 04093