Edward T. “Ned” Turner, Jr., 96, devoted and loving father, grandfather, great grandfather, and friend passed away quietly in his home on October 11, 2021 with family by his side. He was born May 7, 1925 to Edward T. Turner Sr. & Charline E. Turner in Dayton, Ohio where he grew up. He married the love of his life, Phyllis Dye Turner, also from Dayton, September 1, 1951, and in 1960 they moved to Terre Haute, IN and settled into their lifelong home. Phyllis preceded Ned in death in 2019.
Ned earned his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1948 from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, and he earned a special advanced degree in 1953 from the Institute of Paper Chemistry in Appleton, WI. During college Ned was active in Tau Beta Pi Honorary Fraternity, Atmos Honorary Fraternity, Cornell Crew Team and Crew Club, Student Council, Alpha Delta Phi Social Fraternity, and he was the recipient of the John McMullen Scholarship.
Ned was a United States Navy veteran of World War II. After the war he worked for Huffman Manufacturing Co. and Gardner Board & Carton Company before joining Weston Paper in 1960. His professional memberships include serving on the boards of directors of Old National Bancorp, Merchants National Bank of Terre Haute, Alliance for Growth and Progress, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Union Hospital, American Forest & Paper Association, Valley Federal Savings Bank and Greater Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce. He served as President and Trustee of The Weston Wabash Foundation, Chairman of Containerboard & Kraft Paper Group, AFPA, Fibre Box Association. He was President of Junior Achievement of the Wabash Valley and Country Club of Terre Haute. Ned was a member of the Swope Art Museum, Community Theater of Terre Haute, and President’s Society of Indiana State University. He was known in the Terre Haute community for his business acumen, and even up until his death his mind stayed sharp when it came to business.
Ned was a private and humble man. Perhaps unknown to many he was a great outdoorsman and a cowboy at heart. While growing up he spent a number of summers working at a family cattle ranch in Colorado and exploring the Southwest. He sat tall in the saddle and could ride any mount offered to him. Later in life, he and Phyllis often rode together. They shared their love of all things outdoors, animals big and small, and the Southwest with their children, both at home and along the way.
Survivors include his four children, Chris Turner (William Miller) of Reston, VA; Julianne Turner Stuart (James) of Oakland, CA; Edward T. “Ned” Turner III (Jeanette) of Conifer, CO; and Marjorie Turner McCornack (Robert) of Albuquerque, NM. He also leaves five Grandchildren, five Great Grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his three sisters Marianne Keyes, Jeanne Creed, and Eleanor Wasmuth.
The family would especially like to thank Ned’s wonderful caregivers, Joanne, Kim, Lori, Beth, and Sarah, who were with him through the end and took such great care of him.
Ned told his children to keep things short when it came to his death, and we probably already have exceeded the length he would have wanted. Friends are invited to a visitation for Ned on Friday, October 29, 2021 from 4:00-7:00 PM at Callahan & Hughes Funeral Home, 605 South 25th Street. A private burial and service will be held at Woodland Cemetery, Dayton, OH in May. The family kindly requests that in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made to the Union Hospital Foundation, 1606 North 7th Street, Terre Haute, IN 47804, Terre Haute Humane Society, 1811 South Fruitridge Avenue, Terre Haute, IN 47803, Swope Art Museum, 25 South 7th Street, Terre Haute, IN 47807 or the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, 200 South 8th Street, Terre Haute, IN 47807.
Funeral information and tributes may be found at www.callahanandhughes.com.
To send a flower arrangement to the family of Edward T. Turner, Jr., please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.