Cowlitz County WA Archives Obituaries.....Turk,  Sylvia Mae 	 April 6, 2006
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P. J. Stepp steppmom5@hotmail.com June 3, 2006, 5:07 pm

Published in The Daily News on 4/11/2006.        www.tdn.com/obits
Sylvia Mae Turk, Our beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed 
away on April 6, 2006 at the age of 91. 

Sylvia was born on October 8, 1914 to Alonzo and Ada Beisly of Sheldon, 
Missouri who were participants of the Great Oklahoma Land Rush. Sylvia's 
parents, becoming disappointed in the red soil of Oklahoma, traveled by covered 
wagon from Oklahoma to Missouri and set up farming in Sheldon, Missouri. The 
Beisly farm as it was known then, soon filled with Sylvia and her 6 brothers 
and 1 sister. Farm life for Sylvia was full of hard work and long days but it 
provided a bounty of plentiful food during the long depression era. Sylvia 
married the love of her life, Omel Francis Turk of Sheldon, Missouri on August 
2, 1933 and together they had 4 children. In 1947, Sylvia and Omel moved their 
family from Grandview, Missouri to Kelso, Washington where Omel and his brother 
Estle owned and operated "Turk Brothers Garage" at 601 Grade Street. Sylvia 
provided a safe haven for her children and husband with her wonderful home 
cooked meals and stable family life. She supported her husband Omel, in his 
love for the city of Kelso and was so proud when he was elected president of 
the Kelso Chamber of Commerce in 1965-1966. Sylvia's husband Omel was the 
original creator of the well-known and recognized gold "K" located on the 
hillside of Mount Brynion, placed there in honor of their beloved town of 
Kelso. Omel Turk put the first "K" on the hillside and with his wife Sylvia, 
began the tradition of standing "guard" over its protection. When the "K" would 
mysteriously become covered in red, Omel would grab his paint bucket and repair 
the damage. This gold "K" has become a symbol of great Kelso pride and has 
promoted wonderful school spirit in the young hearts of thousands of Kelso 
Scotties throughout the years and for many decades to come. After her husband 
passed on, Sylvia was always pleased and found great joy in hearing of the 
loving protection and "guarding" of this "K" by the student body of Kelso High 
School.

 Sylvia is survived by her four children; Nancy Ann Purviss, Kennewick, WA; 
Omel Lewis Turk, Granite Bay, CA; twin daughters Joyce Marie Beeny, Tualatin, 
OR and Janet Mae Denk, Kansas City, MO. Sylvia also leaves 11 grandchildren and 
9 great grandchildren. 

The family wishes to convey special appreciation and gratitude to the whole ICU 
staff at St. Johns Hospital and especially to Nurses Patty Peters and Brian 
Dolan of St. Johns Hospital for their loving care, comfort and support during 
their Mom's last days. 

The family will have a private service and internment at Cowlitz View Memorial 
Gardens on Tuesday, April 11, 2006. 

	


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