David Gene Turner

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for David Gene Turner, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

David was born on July 1, 1959 at Flower Hospital in Toledo, Ohio. He was the son of Gene and Janis Turner. Raised in Lambertville, MI, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, David was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, David was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if David was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, David also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. David was raised with two siblings. He had two older sisters, Kitty and Jo Anne. David was constantly involved in activities with his family. David and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Growing up, David was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. He was content to entertain himself. David was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, he was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything he did as a child, David was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around him. David took part in a number of activities as a child. He took part in wrestling and football. In his spare time he liked mini bikes.

David enjoyed learning. He always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. David was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. He often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, David was painstaking and accurate in his efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. David enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. His favorite class in high school was wood shop.

In fact, David seemed to absorb and remember everything he read. Not all things came easily to David, however, and he found success by being a diligent and accurate person who would dig into a project and work through until it reached its completion. He was very thorough and labored long and hard in order to reach his goals. He earned his license for Massage Therapy and his Class 1 Waste Water Treatment License.

Most folks would say that David was shy until they got to know him. Those who were privileged to know him well learned that he was a solid, good friend. David was reluctant to generalize about people, and he based his friendships on his personal experiences. Because of this, David best trusted those people that he truly knew. He was concerned about how those around him felt, and he always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. He could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that he made, David kept. While growing up, some of his best friends were Jeff Shaddick. Later in life, he became friends with Shawn Whitehead.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for David. On July 7, 1979 David married Cheryl Clements at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church of Virginia Beach, VA. He was totally committed to Cheryl and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if David naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although David disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

David was a good father to his children. He had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, David was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, David was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. David was blessed with Three children, Three daughters, Jamie, Janis and Jackie. They were also blessed with One grandchild, Kaylee.

If you gave David a deadline, he would meet it. At work, David was always on task. Without hesitation, David could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was a Waste Water Treatment Operator. He was employed for 8 years by HRSD, prior to his eight years at HRSD he was an Independent Contractor. During that time, David excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. David was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, David had at true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

David liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced David's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, David preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were billards, riding his motorcycle and playing online Texas Holdem. David was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying his hobbies all by himself and could often be found just reading about his favorite pastimes.

While thorough and measured in his approach to things, David often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were he enjoyed watching NASCAR.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with David had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that he was the trip planner. He would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included Western Caribbean Cruise, Vero Beach, Florida, and day trips to Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion, he also enjoyed Las Vegas.

David had Growing up his favorite pet was a Dachsund named Prettyboy and a Poodle named Kandy. David was as loyal to his pets as they were to him.

He is survived by his wife Cheryl, and his daughters Jamie and husband Jason, Janis and boyfriend Mark Hall, Jackie and husband Scott; his granddaughter Kaylee; his sisters Kitty and husband Gege, Jo Anne and husband Bob. Services were held at Rosewood Kellum Funeral Home. David was laid to rest in Rosewood Memorial Park in the Peace Mausoleum in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. David was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. David was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. David Turner was very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with David. He will be missed.

David Gene Turner, 50, passed away on March 8, 2010.

Survivors include his loving wife of thirty years, Cheryl Ann Turner, three daughters, Jamie Hobor, and husband, Jason, Janis Turner and boyfriend, Mark Hall, Jackie Gurney, and husband Scott, a granddaughter, Kaylee Gurney; a grandmother, Ruby Porter, two sisters, Kitty Zeunen and husband, Gege, JoAnn Morrissey and husband, Robert.

A Celebration of David’s life will be held on Friday, March 12, 2:00 p.m. at Rosewood Kellum Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Cheryl A. Turner 601 N. Witchduck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23462. Friends may offer condolences at www.kellumfuneralhome.com.