Longview News-Journal newspaper - 30 Oct 2004 edition


James Talmadge “Jim” Turner

DAINGERFIELD — Services for James Talmadge “Jim” Turner of Lone Star will be
held at 2 p.m. today, Nov. 30, at the First Baptist Church in Daingerfield with
the Rev. John Stone and the Rev. Norman Crisp officiating. Burial will be in
Daingerfield Cemetery under the direction of Nail-Haggard Funeral Home. Mr.
Turner died Friday, Nov. 26, 2004, in Teague, Texas. 

Mr. Turner was born July 16, 1928, in Lufkin to Elmer and Emma Turner. He was a
1944 graduate of Lufkin High School. At the age of 16, Mr. Turner was awarded
an academic scholarship to Vanderbilt University. After one year at Vanderbilt,
he continued his education at the University of Texas at Austin and graduated
in 1949 with a business administration degree. Mr. Turner was an Eagle Scout
and attended Marine ROTC at Quantico, Va., in 1947. Although he never went into
active service due to peacetime, Mr. Turner was very proud of his association
with the USMC. 

After graduation from UT, Mr. Turner worked briefly for Lufkin Trailers before
moving to Daingerfield in 1952 to work for E.B. Germany Works (a.k.a. Lone Star
Steel Co.). He held various positions including cast iron foreman, staff
accountant, supervisor of accounting, superintendent of shipping and manager of
material handling at T&N Industries, a subsidiary of Lone Star Steel Co. 

After 28 years of dedicated service, Mr. Turner left LSS and worked for 12
years as vice president of operations and sales of Arctic Pipe Inspection in
Hughes Springs, headquartered in Alaska. He retired from API in 1992 only to
begin another career in real estate with his favorite partner and beloved wife,
Sammye. Turner Real Estate was an active business in Morris and Cass counties
for several years. Mr. Turner continued to sell real estate and closed a
transaction three days before he left us. 

Mr. Turner was a deacon at the First Baptist Church in Daingerfield for 50
years, serving as chairman for several terms. He was currently serving on the
Lone Star City Council and was active on various other committees. 

An avid hunter and fisherman, “Mr. Jim” loved to take young and old alike
fishing at his home on Lone Star Lake and hunting at his cattle ranch in Cass
County. Mr. Turner loved the outdoors and loved people. 

Mr. Turner was a Mason, a little league coach, a respected boss, a devoted
husband, father, grandfather, uncle and just a good all-around man. He will
clearly be missed. 

Survivors include his wife, Sammye of Lone Star; three sons, Artie Turner and
Kenton Turner, both of Dallas, and Tommy Turner of Longview; one granddaughter,
Brooke Turner of Longview; one grandson, Clark Turner of Austin; one sister and
brother-in-law, Mary Beth and Bob Brooke of Rio Verde, Ariz.; one brother and
sister-in-law, Don and Lydia Turner of Holly Lake; two sisters-in-law and
brothers-in-law, Ruth and Jerald Meggs of Teague and John and Janice Beasley of
Eustace; one sister-in-law, Martha Beasley of Texarkana; one aunt and uncle,
Evelyn and Wayne Bell of Lufkin; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Pallbearers will be Clark Turner, Russ Meggs, Mitchell Beasley, Michael Walker,
Craig Griffin and Gaylon Rushing. 

Honorary pallbearers will be the deacon body of the First Baptist Church in
Daingerfield, along with much loved nephews. 

Visitation was 6-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 29, at the funeral home.