Thomas County GaArchives Obituaries.....Eunice (Benton) TURNER  June 7 2003
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Sheila Martin SheilaM78@comcast.net June 20, 2003, 1:52 pm

Thomasville Times Enterprise - Sunday, June 15, 2003

Eunice Benton Turner was born in Thomasville, Ga. in 1915; and was a resident 
of Miami for more than six decades. She grew up on a plantation in south 
Georgia, where well-connected friends urged her family to let this young 
beauty accompany them on a world tour, ending in Hollywood-where a film career 
would surely await her. Her loving and level-headed father's refusal sentenced 
her to a life of happy obscurity; she was a devoted helpmate to her husband, a 
loving mother and grandmother, a friend to anyone in need, a rescuer of 
animals, a painter, a cook and a gardener extraordinaire. On the evening 
before her family would move to Miami, she eloped with a dashing, determined 
and self-confident J. Carl Turner. She arrived back in Thomasville just in 
time to catch the Miami-bound train that would distance them from one another 
and add to the aura of their secret marriage. A few months later her new 
husband joined her in Miami and bought the Denning Seed Company in South Miami 
and Homestead. They worked together in this business venture-which eventually 
became Denning's Hardware. They felt privileged to be a part of this new 
thriving city where Carl was instrumental in the founding of many South Miami 
institutions and served as president of the South Miami Chamber of Commerce. 
In the mid-1950s they sold Denning's Hardware, so that Carl could focus his 
time and energy on his own company J. Carl Turner Co. with offices and 
warehouses in Miami and Hialeah. Petey, as she was called by those that knew 
her well, then found herself free to indulge totally in her love of gardening. 
Her two Miami properties overflowed year-round with flowers and fruits of 
every description. While she was not naturally endowed with a green-thumb, her 
commitment to the study of plants allowed her to create beautiful gardens and 
landscapes. In 1971, Petey and Carl moved to their summer home in Blue Ridge, 
Ga.They had long looked forward to retiring to their island home since its 
purchase in 1952; as they loved the country and its people. Carl, a man 
capable of doing just about anything, began building furniture, planting an 
extraordinary vegetable garden and writing for the local newspaper. While 
active in the Big Creek Baptist Church, he also devoted his time to the study 
of his family's genealogical history and founded James Publishing Inc. Blue 
Ridge was on the verge of becoming a well-populated modern city and soon he 
was serving the city by bringing the Fannin County Tax Assessor's office up-to-
date. Lack of adequate sunshine limited Petey's flower gardening endeavors; 
but any free time she had was soon consumed as she became a one-woman humane 
society-taking in any creature that seemed in need, or showed up upon her 
doorstop. With some encouragement from a friend, she began to paint and was 
quickly creating upon her canvas the beautiful landscapes not permitted by her 
shady land. Before long her love of cats and dogs made their way onto her 
canvases as well; and her friends and family kept her busy for years with 
requests for her painting. The Turners celebrated their 63rd wedding 
anniversary just before Carl's death in 1998. He was a good, sweet man who 
never had a discouraging word for anyone. He loved to tell stories and he 
loved to sing, though he often did it softly as he didn't like his voice. 
Above all, he loved his family and adored his wife. After his death, Petey 
stayed in Miami with her family; but often took extended trips back to her 
beloved home in Blue Ridge. She was a fiery, opinionated and independent woman 
long before it was en vogue. She loved political debate and spent hours 
reading or writing her memoirs. She was hysterically funny and had a laugh 
that could fill any room. This woman, who never found enough time in any day 
or week, month, year or lifetime to do all she wanted to do, passed away at 
her daughter's home on Saturday, June 7. A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 
p.m. Sunday, June 15 at Allen and Allen Funeral Home in Thomasville. An open 
memorial service celebrating her wondrous life and fabulous personality will 
be held 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 16, at Allen and Allen Funeral Chapel with 
burial to follow at Thomasville's Laurel Hill Cemetery. The Rev. Lee Waller 
will officiate. Together, they leave a legacy of love to their family and 
friends; along with sweet memories of lives devoted to caring for others great 
and small; for making the world a nicer place to be; and a promise, that 
through God's grace, we will join them in eternity. They are survived by their 
daughter Susan Willliams, son-in-law, Gene, their granddaughter Kristyl 
Stadler and her husband Lou. Visitors may sign the online guest register at 
www.allenfh.com. -- Allen & Allen Funeral Home

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