Mrs. Anna Mae Turnipseed

Anna Mae Turnipseed was born in Anaconda, Montana, on October 4, 1919, and died at home on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 at age 96. In death, Anna was reunited with her beloved husband of 64 years, Dorman Turnipseed.

Anna was raised and educated in Montana before attending St. Mary's College in Leavenworth, Kansas. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1941, and later earned her Master's Degree in Linguistics and Literature from California State University, Fresno in 1966. Anna also did post-graduate work at New York University.

As a young woman, Anna was first employed in Anaconda with the Intermountain Transportation Co.. At the beginning of World War II, she went to Seattle to work as an accountant with the Elliott Transportation Co., the contractor for the Alcan Highway. It was there that she met and became engaged to Dorman Turnipseed, a soldier at Gray Army Airfield. When Dorman was called to duty, Anna returned to Helena, Montana, and became the registrar at Carroll College, a United States Navy College training program. She then moved to San Francisco and worked in an engineering firm until Dorman's return from war at which time she moved to Fresno and was married ten days later on November 11, 1945.

After her marriage and the birth of her first child Anna worked as a cost accountant for Morello Winery. In 1948, Anna began teaching accounting at Fresno City College. She left this position to join her husband in Missouri where he was stationed after he was recalled for another tour of duty during the Korean War. After the family's return to Fresno she returned to her love of teaching in the Fresno Unified School District. She retired from Hoover High School in 1984 and returned to Fresno State to complete a Bachelor's Degree in early childhood education. She put her new degree to use as the owner and operator of Turnipseed Infant Toddler Educare & Preschool - the first nationally accredited child care facility in Fresno. Anna continued to work in the preschool until it closed in 2013.

Anna was preceded in death by her parents, Anna O'Leary Mahoney and Michael Patrick Mahoney of Anaconda, Montana.

Anna is survived by her daughter, Kathleen Turnipseed; daughter Deborah Burchfield and her spouse, David; her sons, Don, Bart, and Mike Turnipseed; her sister, Kathleen Papich of Anaconda, MT; seven grandchildren and their spouses; nine great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and their families.

Visitation will be held at Whitehurst Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home at on Sunday, September 11, 2016 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. followed by Recitation of the Holy Rosary at 4:00 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Shrine of St. Therese Catholic Church on Monday, September 12, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. Interment to follow at St. Peter's Cemetery.

Remembrances may be sent to the California Retired Teachers Association, 3930 E. Saginaw Way, Fresno, California, 93726.