Michael D. Turner

1948 - 2020

Michael D. Turner Michael D. Turner of Lacey, Washington, passed away after a sudden brain hemorrhage on August 14, 2020. He was 71 years old. His husband and partner of 33 years, Jay Felzien, was by his side. Mike was born in Santa Ana, California, on October 3, 1948 to Bill and Cathy Turner. The eldest of four children, he grew up in Costa Mesa, California, and graduated with a degree in education and a master's degree in psychologyfrom Long Beach State.While working at Disneyland in college, he met and married Mary Stirewalt and they had one daughter, Rachel. They divorced in 1984. After relocating to Danville in the East Bay, he met his longtime partner and later husband, Jay Felzien in 1987. Professionally, Mike's career began as an elementary school teacher in Newport Beach, California. He then spent over 30 years as a human resources corporate executive at Toys R Us and Stuart Anderson's Black Angus Restaurants. After retiring in 2005, Mike and Jay realized their dream of moving full-time to The Sea Ranch, California, where they built a home and spent the next eight years. Mike was a longtime volunteer at the Gualala Arts Center, a seal docent on The Sea Ranch, volunteered for Redwood Coast Medical Services and Redwood Coast Humane Society fundraisers, and was a stalwart member of the "condiment crew" at the Memorial Day fundraising barbecue for The Sea Ranch volunteer fire department. He enjoyed gardening at the Posh Squash and meeting friends at the Hot Spot on Fridays during the summer. He also discovered a real aptitude and passion for acting, and performed in numerous plays and musicals with The Sea Ranch Thespians and the Gualala Arts Center during his years on the North Coast. Mike and Jay moved to the Panorama retirement community in Lacey in 2013. Mike continued to volunteer locally at Panorama and act and direct regional theater, including appearing in several productions at Olympia Little Theater. Mike loved a snappy comeback, avocado toast and chocolate milk, telling a good story, watching great movies with Jay, live theater, trivia games and Friday night dinners with friends at Panorama, corgi puppy videos on YouTube, watching the waves on Black Point Beach, Alexander Chihuly glass art, crafting handmade greeting cards, the smell of the ocean, and taking walks with his beloved Welsh Corgi, Dylan. We'll miss his witty sense of humor, his caring but pragmatic nature, his creativity and his ability to quote any classic movie at the appropriate moment. The author David Mitchell once wrote, "For a brief spell, we share a stage. Others are coming to kick us off. But while you're here, write yourself a good part. Act it well." The spotlights seem much dimmer now that Mike has left the stage. Mike leaves behind his husband, Jay Felzien, of Lacey, as well as his dog, Dylan and big grey cat, Cosmo; his mother, Cathy Turner of Costa Mesa, California; brother, Mark Turner (Sue) of Corona, California; sister, Kimberlee Hart (Brion) of Fort Worth, Texas; brother, Scott Turner (Peggy), and nephews Kyle, Cory and Jake Turner of Newport Beach, California; and his daughter, Rachel Turner (Phil Kaufman) of The Sea Ranch, California. Mike's father, Dr. William J. Turner, passed away in 2019. Mike will be deeply missed by his family and many dear friends in Lacey and California's North Coast. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a memorial will be planned at a later time. Donations in Mike's memory may be made to the RCMS Shamli Hospice Program, the Gualala Arts Center, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Assured Hospice in Olympia, and the Panorama Auditorium in Lacey. Please share memories at www.FuneralAlternatives.org.