Mary Helen Turner of Magnolia was born in Olney, Illinois, on May 5, 1920, to Elmer Richard “Dock” Withrow and Minnie Ann Pennington Withrow. She passed away on Thursday, September 12, 2019, in Magnolia at 99 years of age.
She spent most of her life working for her dear friend, Lois Gean. Lois refused to let Helen quit working, so it wasn’t until Lois passed that Helen finally retired at 81 years old.
Helen enjoyed her Sunday School class, she was an avid world traveler, a phenomenal bridge player, and a lover of everything purple — especially clothes, shoes, and jewelry. Though she was petite, her personality was larger than life, as was her sense of humor. No matter how much you joked with her, even if it was at her expense, she’d throw it right back at you with a smile and the cutest little giggle.
Every Sunday, you could find her in the pews of Central Baptist Church. When she was no longer able to attend church, she watched the service on television from her favorite living room chair surrounded by a few things she always had on hand: chocolate (always milk, never dark), greeting cards from all over, and hundreds of photos of her family and friends who all meant the world to her.
Thanks to Julia Beardsley, Dominique Burnell, and Jerrica May of Superior Senior Care, Helen was able to rest comfortably in her home for the remainder of her days. She was also under the watchful, caring eye of her neighbor and friend of over 40 years, Angie Waters.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband Vernon Turner; son Phillip Turner; daughter Pamela Turner Crowell; and her sisters Ina Marie Wilburn and Josephine Cummings.
She is survived by her grandchildren Alexis Crowell, Matthew Crowell, and Stephany Turner; great grandchildren Madalyn and Brooklyn Crowell; son-in-law Charles Crowell and his former wife Haila Harvey; daughter-in-law Rita Turner; and many nieces and nephews.
Helen’s visitation will be on Thursday, September 26, 2019, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Lewis Funeral Home, Inc. in Magnolia, Arkansas. A private burial will be held the following morning at Magnolia Memorial Park Cemetery.
To sign the online guest book or to share a memory visit www.lewisfuneralhomebiz.