More detail on this person: Lieutenant Colonel George Mitchell Turner, 75 George TURNER Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA) - Thursday, March 3, 2005 Lieutenant Colonel George Mitchell Turner, 75, a decorated veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War died at his home on February 28th, 2005 after a long illness. He had lived in Athens since 1970. Son of the late Sarah Cofer Turner and John Lewis Turner, he was preceded in death by his brother Charles Lewis Cofer. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, he grew up in Decatur. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving for a year at the end of World War II. Following that tour of duty, Turner attended the University of Georgia where he earned the reserve grade of Second Lieutenant through the ROTC program. Commissioned as a regular Army officer, he spent the remainder of his career in the infantry. He commanded a heavy weapons company in Korea for 18 months. He then entered the Army Aviation Program at Fort Rucker, Alabama, adding pilot certification, both fixed and rotary wing, to his credentials. Turner served with an advance party of the First Cavalry Division, the first combat unit to enter Viet Nam. Hal Moore's book We were Soldiers Once and Young - The Battle that Changed the War in Viet Nam and the subsequent movie "We were Soldiers Once" chronicle the details of the division's deployment in that valley. When he came home from Viet Nam, Turner commanded an aviation battalion at Fort Benning and then he served at the Pentagon as Chief of Assignments for Aviation Warrant Officers. Turner retired from the Army in 1969 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During his military service he received numerous medals and awards including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal, the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry (awarded three times), the Presidential Unit Citation, Senior Aviator Wings, Airborne Wings and Ranger Tab. Returning to Athens, Turner was an involved member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, serving on the vestry as senior warden and later as parish administrator. He was a mentor for Education for Ministry (EFM), a four-year course of theological study. In addition he was a devoted reader for the Georgia Unit of Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic. After retiring from the military, he made his second home in the Colorado Rockies where he felt a great kinship with the eagles in their aeries, and where he loved the native wildflowers. Here in Athens, he opened the Holiday House inside Cofer's Home and Garden Center. He taught himself carpentry and bricklaying and built his house by hand on Riverview Drive. He was a grower of grapes, a great scholar, a nurturer to all of his family, and a sharer of wisdom and laughter with all of his many dear friends. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth Peters Turner, a daughter and her husband Lane Turner Norton and Jim Norton, a granddaughter Sarah Duggan Norton of Athens and a stepson Douglas Woodcock Teague of Decatur, a stepdaughter and her husband Elizabeth Teague Thompson and Stephen Thompson of Asheville, NC and step-grandchildren, Charles Mathieu Thompson, Turner William Teague Thompson and Katherine Elizabeth Thompson. The family will receive friends at Emmanuel Church from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, March 3rd. The funeral service will be held on Friday, March 4th at Emmanuel Episcopal Church at 2 p.m. with the interment at Oconee Hill Cemetery afterwards. Following the burial there will be a reception at Emmanuel Church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions may be made to Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 498 Prince Ave., Athens, GA 30601; St. Mary's Hospice, P.O. Box 6588 Athens, GA 30604 or a charity of your choice. Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Burial information: Oconee Hill Cemetery, Athens, GA
This information was last updated 09/21/2020
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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