William H. Turner, Jr.

William H. Turner was born on February 5, 1934, to the late Minevah and William Turner, Sr. in Houston, Texas.  He is the oldest of six brothers who accepted Christ at an early age.  His mother and father nurtured him and his brothers with love and instilled strong principles to help guide them. 

William, as the oldest, learned early in life to be concerned and protective of his siblings and became a protector and role model for them.  Music was an important part of his life; he and his brothers all played musical instruments as children.  He graduated from Phillis Wheatly Senior High School in Houston Texas where he played in the band.  He attended Prairie View College in Prairie Texas prior to being drafted into the United States Army December 4, 1956, to serve in the Korean War and was honorably discharged November 25, 1958.  After Military Service William never gave up his pursuit of music and crafting even after becoming an ordain minister in Houston Texas in the early 1970s.  

William married Pauline Ranson in Houston Texas and to this union two children were born Hollinlandra Turner and Paul Turner.  After moving to Seattle Washington in the early 1970 he met and married Jettie L. Lewis-Collins both of whom became active members of Mt Zion Baptist church after holding membership in several different churches before finally deciding to join Mt Zion in the early 1970's.   The two enjoyed playing their respective instruments together in support of the weekly church prayer meetings.  In addition, he was one of the originals in the “Family Musical Group” comprised of several different families, sisters, and brothers all kin in Seattle to create the “Family Echoes of Joy”. 

William retired from the Boeing Airplane company after nearly 27 years of service where he became an analyst and database specialist with posts at the Renton and Everett locations during his career.  William was gifted with many artistic talents and became the family’s go-to person for upholstering furniture of all types.   In fact, as it became known outside of the family, demand increased to the point where it became more demanding than his day job.  In addition, he was a prolific sculptor who loved to gather certain cuts of a log that he would use to create magnificent busts and displays of famous and not so famous people with tools he would buy and redesign.   William had a coy way of humoring you and always enjoyed telling both long and short tales of his heritage.  He loved to exchange ideas and thoughts about different political positions/problems and always had his answer to the problems in Washington DC.  He always greeted you with a smile, loved a good conversation, delighted in storytelling, loved his immediate and extended families. 

He was preceded in death by his wife Jettie Turner, his parents William Turner Sr. and Minevah Turner-Curth, stepfather Leonard Curtis, four brothers, Richard L. Turner, Dr. Oddis Turner, Gerald Turner, Sr, Ronald B. Turner.  William leaves to cherish his memory sisters-in-law: two children, Hollinlandra Turner and Paul Turner, and his brother Clarence CJ Turner, of Houston Texas (sisters-in-law), Jewel Turner, Earnestine Turner, Bernice Collins, and Shirley T. Turner, and a host of nieces, and nephews, and other relatives and friends, three stepchildren from his last marriage.

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