She was born on May 15, 1930, to Cecil and Opal Higgins in Sedalia, Missouri. After graduating from Smith Cotton High School in 1948, she began working for the Bell Telephone Company as a telephone operator.
On September 22, 1950, she married Howard Turner, Jr. They were married for nearly 71 years until he passed away in 2021. While in Sedalia, they owned The Dixie Cream Donut Shop. In 1961, they moved to West Des Moines, Iowa, where they raised their four children.
Lucy had a love for reading and could always be found with a book close by. She worked at Clegg Park Elementary School for 18 years as the school librarian where she was honored to receive the Golden Apple Award.
Known always for her kind, caring heart and warm smile, she embraced everyone with love and a hug. Her greatest joy was her family, whom she adored with all her heart.
Left to cherish her are her sons, Keith and Mark Turner; daughters, Cheryl (Maurie) Bolt and Sara Bierbaum; grandchildren, Ben and Evan (Mileah Mesch) Bolt, Molly (Justin) Assink, Andrew, Nick (Ragan Riley), and Emily (Zak Khamlijy) Bierbaum; great-grandchildren, Cora and Kyah Assink; her sister, Patsy Rabourn; sister-in-law, Betty Ann Higgins; and several nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Howard Turner Jr.; parents, Cecil and Opal Higgins; and brothers, Donald and John Higgins.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, November 14, 2025, at 12:00 PM with an hour visitation prior at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel, 801 19th St., West Des Moines, IA. Burial to follow at McLaren’s Resthaven Cemetery.
