Donna J. Turner, 72, Carthage, died Thursday, November 8, 2018 at Freeman West Hospital, Joplin, of cancer. Donna was born May 8, 1946 in Carthage, Missouri, the daughter of the late Herbert D. Stanley and Viola M. (Freeman) Stanley, brother of Herbert D. Stanley Jr. She graduated from Carthage High School in 1964, completed her freshman year at Joplin Junior College.
She was married to Jerry L. Turner of Carthage, Missouri in Denver, Colorado October 2, 1965, where Jerry was serving in the United States Air Force. Their Air Force career provided the opportunity to live in Tampa, FL, Hampton, VA, Biloxi, MS and Colorado Springs, CO.
While living in Colorado Springs, Donna worked as a teachers’ aid at the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, served as a deaf interpreter (sign language) and was executive secretary for James Irwin’s High Flight organization.
In 1975, Jerry and Donna began their service with Mission Aviation Fellowship, serving in Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. In 1982, they moved to the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area to provide air service to Haiti.
While serving with MAF, Donna filled many rolls. In addition to being mother to her three daughters, Gayla, Lisa and Stacy, she played piano and organ for local churches, performed flight tracking and radio communication for Jerry and bucked rivets (very reluctantly) when Jerry needed a helping hand at the hangar.
In 1986, Jerry and Donna moved to the Carthage Area. Donna worked in the Carthage High School office, then finished her BS Education degree at MSSU Joplin. She taught English and Spanish at Aurora High School and the Carthage High School. Donna played the organ and piano for First Baptist Church Carthage and First Christian Church Carthage. Donna was very involved with the Photo Recovery Program following the Joplin tornado.
Her hobbies included crochet, cross stich and riding motorcycle with Jerry all over Arizona and Colorado.
Donna is survived by her husband; three daughters, Gayla Gelven of Tulsa, Lisa Irwin of Malvern, AR and Stacy Lee of Osawatomie, KS; five grandchildren, Stefan Gelven of Oklahoma City, Marie Gelven of Denver, CO, Kaylynn Lee, Bryce Lee, Blake Lee, all of Osawatomie, KS.
Visitation will be at First Baptist Church Carthage, Tuesday November 13th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Service will follow at 2:00 p.m. Thad Beeler will officiate. Burial will be at Park Cemetery, Carthage.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Carthage Crisis Center in care of Ulmer Funeral Home.
Arrangements are under the direction of Ulmer Funeral Home.
