Gloria Burke Turner

She was the daughter of the late Alice Haite Townsend of Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, England and John Bunyan Townsend Sr. of Lumberton, NC, who sailed the world as a chief engineer for the White Star/Cunard and The United States Lines, she is preceded in death by her parents, 3 siblings, JB Townsend Jr, William Charles (Bobby) Townsend of Lumberton, NC and Marion Townsend Schleicher of Michigan.

She leaves behind her beloved daughter Sonya Burke Williams & SIL John Williams of 1225 National Ave, New Bern, NC, her son Dr. William Henry Burke of Summerville, SC, 2 granddaughters Courtney Burke Lorah and Ashley King and 2 great grandchildren, Leighton Lorah and Gideon Lorah all of Charleston, SC, and close maternal cousin Christine Robinson of Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, England, as well as numerous families in the UK. Gloria loved England and visited often.

She was proceeded in death by her loving husband, James Rae Burke of Whitinsville, MA (d.1974). She remarried 5 years later to Robert Raymond Turner of Clover, SC (d. 2002) after 25 years of marriage.

Gloria graduated from Lumberton High School in 1956 and was their Allstar State women’s basketball guard for 1954, 1955, and 1956. She was offered full scholarships to play basketball from both Pembroke College and Duke University, a rarity in that time. She earned degrees from Kings College, York Technical College, and The University of South Carolina Lancaster. She was a registered nurse, then went on to serve as the Director of the Council on Aging in Kershaw County South Carolina for over 22 years. She was appointed by then SC Governor Carroll Campbell to the Senate Committee on Aging and was an integral part of legislation for seniors’ rights and women’s rights (pro-choice) in South Carolina and is listed in Who’s Who in American Women and Who’s who in the World for her Executive director role in the aging community.

Gloria served as a hospice director in Myrtle Beach for many years, before retiring to Surfside Beach, SC where she was a member of Belin Methodist Church. She moved to New Bern in 2021 to be near her daughter and resided at Truewood Independent Senior Living in New Bern with her three rescue cats, steps away from her daughters’ medical practice.

She loved sports and waited for the ACC tournaments like Christmas annually. She was also a die-hard Washington Redskins fan from the days of Sonny Jurgensen on. A service will be held Sunday, August 27, 2023, at 1:00 pm at Cotten Funeral home In New Bern, NC, after which the family will receive visitors there, after the service.

Mrs. Turner was a great animal lover and animal advocate, and the family asks for contributions to be made in her name to Colonial Capital Humane Society in New Bern, NC in lieu of flowers please.