Mr. Jerry Leo Turnbull

Jerry was born on December 30, 1942 and he grew up in the small town of Freeland, Michigan with his mother (Esther) and father (Leo) as well as two sisters (Carolyn and Delores) and two brothers (David and Larry). Larry is his fraternal twin brother. After graduating high school, Jerry and Larry spent two years in the Navy.

Refrigeration soon became his trade of choice and he started his own business working on household refrigerators. He would go on to become a true expert in his field (more on that later).

His only child, Scott Jerry Turnbull, was born in 1968 and the family would spend time in both Michigan and Virginia. Jerry then found himself living in Georgia and then California all the while building his reputation in the Refrigeration Field working on supermarket refrigeration systems for a major company.

A love of horses had always been tucked away in his heart and in Georgia Jerry was able to explore that with his horses of his own. In California, Jerry befriended some people involved in rodeo and soon got himself and his family involved in that pastime. He was fond of watching a horse develop, caring for horses, and getting to know others with a similar interest. Jerry competed in team roping events in California, Nevada, and Arizona. He was self-taught in all areas of horsemanship and team roping competition and that is truly a remarkable achievement in itself.

Jerry continued to earn a sterling reputation in his chosen field of refrigeration. The company he worked for sent him on several domestic and international trips to oversee the startup of large refrigeration systems. These trips included Utah, Arizona, Saudi Arabia, and China just to name a few.

Jerry was known for many characteristics that made him memorable. He had a ready smile and quick wit. He developed a knack for making people feel at ease. He was the first one to needle a colleague or friend but, more importantly, the first one to help them out with anything they needed. There are numerous examples of his generosity. He was always the first one to help out anybody in need. A high school friend of his son’s was once facing difficult times and Jerry gave him a pick-up truck. This is just one of many examples. Never did he ask for anything in return. He was rewarded by giving and not by expecting something in return. He especially enjoyed helping younger colleagues in his field get through difficult situations that he had previously encountered and conquered. He was also famous for being a generous tipper. Blackjack dealers, especially, were often the beneficiaries of his kindness.

Jerry was a caring and dedicated father. He raised his son on his own from the time Scott was 12 years old. Jerry and Scott competed in roping events together and truly enjoyed spending time in each other’s company not just as father and son but as best friends.

The latter years of Jerry’s life led him to the beautiful and small town of Lone Pine, California. He had done some of his final years of work there and came to know many of the people who lived there. He was kind of adopted as one of their own. He spent his last three years or so there in Lone Pine. It seemed to be a kind of California version of the little town of Freelend, Michigan where he was raised. Both are places with friendly people where “everyone knows everyone” and you always stop to catch up with each other. This lifestyle fit Jerry’s gracious personality to a tee.

Jerry’s only grandchild, Ava Elizabeth Turnbull, was born in 2009. He loved his granddaughter. He only got to know her for a year but they shared a special bond. Ava’s parents easily recognize Jerry’s personality in Ava. She’s an independent free spirit who loves people, just like her grandfather.

Jerry will be missed. He leaves behind many family members and friends who loved him deeply for his generosity, kindness, and sense-of-humor.