Mary Elaine Turner

Mary Elaine Turner passed peacefully April 3, 2011 at Avalon Healthcare at age 91. She was born to parents Charles Leonard and Mary Eleanor Clark October 5, 1919 in Barling, Arkansas. Mary started school in Mabton when the family moved to Washington. She also attended school for some years in Grandview and the graduated from Mabton High School. She married Lenox Adams in June of 1937. They had 3 boys: Alvin Rae, Jerry Lee, and Michael LeRoy. They worked a small farm near Mabton and also milked dairy cows. Mary attended Business School in Yakima and then moved to Othello in September 1960 and worked for Anderson Produce. She met and married Robert Earl Turner in April 1961. Many may remember Mary as cashier and bookkeeper for the popular Freddie's Restaurant where she worked for 10 years before retiring.

Of part Cherokee heritage, Mary was a reticent woman by nature. She was an innately talented gardener and turned their Elm Street home and yard into a showplace with her many bulbs and flowers. She was an avid reader and enjoyed latch hooking and crocheting afghans for family and friends. Mary and Robert enjoyed traveling, making 3 RV trips to Alaska as well as extensive trips nationwide, fishing and meandering off roads, always with a poodle along. Both played a mean game of Pinochle often with friends. 

Mary is survived by Robert, her husband of nearly 50 years (April 28th), only brother Leamon Clark (Yakima), son Jerry (Joan) Seattle, son Michael (Donna) Othello, daughter Patricia (Joe) Hermiston, Oregon, son Robert Jr. (Jean) Seattle, 12 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by son Alvin and grandson Mark.

Robert and family wish to express profound thanks to Diane Schouviller and husband Vince for 7 years of loving and dedicated homecare.

A time for visitation will be Friday, April 8 from 4:00 to 7:00pm and Saturday morning, April 9 from 9:30 to 11:15am at Stevens Funeral Chapel. Burial will be Saturday, April 9, at 11:45 at Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens. The funeral service will follow the burial, at 1:00pm at Stevens Funeral Chapel.