Joanne Palmer Turnley

Joanne Palmer Turnley, age 97, died July 19, 2024 at home in Broomfield, Colorado.She was born April 16, 1927 in Berwyn, Illinois to Charles Centennial and Clara Belle Palmer. Her family moved to Boulder, Colorado in 1933 when she was seven.After graduating from CU, in Boulder, she taught high school Home Economics in York, Nebraska for a year.In 1949 she married William Stewart Turnley Jr. in Boulder, Colorado.She was preceded in death by a brother, her husband, her sister and a son in law.Joanne is survived by her four daughters: Kathleen Wolcott of Muskegon, MI., Karen Cory of Broomfield, CO.,Patty Walker of Twin Bridges, MT., and Bethany Lawrence of Thornton, CO., sons in law Andy Wolcott, Jeff Walker and Scott Lawrence, eleven grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.

She went back to school to get her Colorado teaching certificate and began substitute teaching. When her older daughters were in high school she began an adventurous career as a designer for a company that made kits to make outdoor gear (tents, down jackets, sleeping bags, comforters, backpacks, etc.).After her husband, Bill, died she started to travel.She traveled the U.S. and Europe by riverboat, as well as exploring Central America, with a lifelong girlfriend.Her favorite trips were on the Mississippi River, cruising on the Delta Queen riverboat, where her picture was on the front page of the Natchez, MS newspaper with the caption “ The Floozies are back” .

When she wasn’t traveling she kept busy with her grandchildren, but also with her many hobbies.With her home economics background she was quite a seamstress and homemaker who taught not only her daughters to sew, knit, cook, as well as other skills, but neighborhood girls in different 4-H clubs, and many others.She made beautiful counted cross stitch pieces as wall as hardanger and many others.Quilting was another favorite hobby, making a quilt for each of her grandchildren, all of which were displayed in the state capital.She continued to explore new stitching techniques, some of which included beads.She became an expert in beading, she designed several bracelets and taught classes on how to make them.Of all her hobbies, her favorite was working with miniatures.She started out using a 1” - 1’ scale down to 1/8” - 1’.Her endless talents impressed and amazed everyone.She belonged to many clubs including miniatures, quilting, and several stitching groups.

She was loved by her family and friends and will be greatly missed.A private graveside service will be held August 1, 2024 at Green Mountain Cemetery in Boulder, Colorado, followed by a gathering for her family and friends at The Gallery in Broomfield, 1450 W 169th Ave., from 2pm - 3pm, where she lived.In lieu of flowers please send donations to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, (AMDF), in Joanne’s memory.

A graveside service for Joanne will be held Thursday, August 1, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 11:45 AM at Crist Mortuary, 3395 Penrose Place, NULL, Boulder, CO 80301.