David O Turner

David Oakes Turner, a sixth generation Texan and lifelong Dallas resident, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on October 9th. A successful businessman and civic leader, David was a man of rare congeniality, who will be greatly missed by his family and many, many friends.

David will be most remembered for cherishing the love of his life and family and his unshakable faith, perseverance, passion for encouraging people and generosity. He also loved sports, fishing and shepherding people of all ages. His smile was infectious and his heart warm. David was considered by many to be a “second father”.

David was born September 3, 1938 in Dallas to Barbara Maxson Turner and Oakes Taft Turner. He graduated from Highland Park High School and the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity and the Texas Cowboys. He then earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the SMU Law School, and though admitted to the Texas Bar, he chose not to practice law. In 1960 he entered Maxson Mahoney Turner, an insurance agency founded by his maternal grandfather in 1915. He was longtime president of the firm, until its purchase by Compass Bank in 2003.

David was active in the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, the St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (where he was a member until 2013), the Dallas Child Guidance Clinic, the Park Cities Presbyterian Church and many other charities serving children in the Dallas area. He was a member of the Dallas Country Club, the Coon Creek Club, the Idlewild Club and the Sons of the Republic of Texas. He coached each of his four children in Park Cities YMCA sports, teaching them and their teammates values important for the rest of their lives.

He is survived by his loving wife of fifty-five years, Elizabeth (Litty) Thomson Jones Turner, and his children and their spouses: Elizabeth and Louis Ygartua, David Oakes Turner Jr. and Billye, Catherine Turner Russell and Philip Tucker Russell, and Robert Nicholas Turner and his wife Melissa Snowden Turner; his grandchildren Elizabeth Ygartua Knapp (Spencer), Jack Ygartua, David Oakes Turner III, Luke Wallace Turner, and Virginia Weston Turner, Rebecca Hancock Russell, Philip Tucker Russell Jr., and Robert Jones Turner Russell, Ashley Olivia Turner, Clark Woodward Turner, Daniel Robert Turner, and Allison Lee Turner. He is also survived by his brother Donald Maxson (Mack) Turner and his wife Catherine Turner and sister Nancy Turner Christy and her husband Richard C. Christy. He was predeceased by his parents, his stepfather Benjamin W Nicholas and his brother Thomas Hudnall Turner. The family would like to thank the many kind doctors and caretakers (Foo and Pious in particular) for their professionalism and loving kindness. Following private interment at Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery, Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 13, 2017 at the Park Cities Presbyterian Church. Memorials may be given to the MD Anderson Cancer Center Attention Department of Endocrinology or the PCPC Foundation. Online condolences may be made at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com