07/14/2024
Saturday, July 13, 2024, started out for Raymond Turner, 89, of Edinburgh, the same way that the last few days had been going. He was under hospice care, in the bed at his home on Holland Street, preparing to cross the valley of death. The fact that he was at home is a testimony to the love of His wife and family. He had lived in that house for the last 50 years and it was where he wanted to die. And so, the family kept a long-standing promise they had made to him--to care for him at home until the end. And so it was, after several days of people coming and going, people caring for him, loving him, telling him how much he meant to them, praying, reading Scripture, the homestead was quiet for a few minutes on Saturday afternoon. He was alone in the house with his beloved wife of over 68 years, Bobbie J. Bohannon Turner. She came into his room to check on him and see if he needed anything. At 3:30 p.m., she found that the man she married when she was 16 years old was gone. That’s what she said when she called the rest of the family, “He’s gone.” Gone where is the question though, isn’t it? The fact is that a very real and significant part of Ray Turner, his physical body, was still lying in his bed. The glorious truth is that the other part of Ray Turner, his soul, had been carried away. At the very moment he took his final breath, he opened his eyes to the most glorious sight—the sight that he had been longing to see. Not breathtaking garden vistas or golden streets or any of the other beautiful realities of heaven—Ray opened his eyes across the great divide and found himself looking into the face of the King of all Creation and the One who died to rescue him from death. Ray has now seen His great reward and the reward is Jesus Christ. O, what glory!
Raymond Gordon Turner was born November 1, 1934, in Russell Spring, KY, to the late Robert and Lilly Rooks Turner. He married Bobbie J. Bohannon Turner on March 10, 1956, and she survives. He is also survived by his children, Kenneth “Kenny” Turner, of Edinburgh, Phyllis (Alan) Burton, of Edinburgh, and Richard (Tonya) Turner, of Edinburgh; grandchildren, Paul (Tracy) Burton, of Edinburgh, Amanda “Mandi” Turner, of Edinburgh, Leah Burton, of Edinburgh, and Calyn (Roger Reed) Turner, of Indianapolis; great grandchildren, Preston (Grace) Smith, of Edinburgh, Walker (Emma) Smith, of Edinburgh, Reagan Burton, of Edinburgh, Ellie Burton, of Edinburgh, and Iona Elliot, of Edinburgh; great great granddaughter Eleanor Smith; brother, Lewis (Brenda) Turner, of Edinburgh, and sister, Estelle Blankenship, of Louisville. He was also preceded in death by his grandsons, Julian Littlejohn and Jasper Ray Simpson; brothers Ralph Turner, Jimmy Turner, and Roy Turner; and sisters, Callie Jeffries, and Ida Mae Rebar.
Ray served in the U.S. Navy from the year 1956 until 1960. He was employed for nearly 30 years as a truck driver for Associated Truck Lines (later ANR). After his retirement, Ray was the man to call in Edinburgh if you needed something built or repaired. He served many, many people throughout his years of retirement. He also volunteered at the Pregnancy Care Center in Columbus and the Edinburgh Ministerial Association Food Pantry. He was a member of Christ Fellowship Church for over 30 years where he faithfully served his church family and His Lord.
A funeral service will be 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at Christ Fellowship Church, 125 Lind Drive, Edinburgh. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. until the service. A graveside committal will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at Rest Haven Cemetery, Edinburgh.
