Carlos Turner

Carlos Turner was born in Harlingen, TX, on February 8, 1930, and peacefully passed away in his sleep on March 22, 2026, at the ripe old age of 96. His parents were Henry and Gloria Turner. He was the eldest and only boy of their children. They went on to have four daughters: Alpha Turner, Delphia Evanhoe (husband Ed), Virginia Chapman (Ken), and Gloria Arguelles (Rudy). He turned out to be the only boy of his generation in both his mom and dad's families. All his cousins were girls, so both of his grandmothers spoiled him quite a bit. He attended La Feria schools and graduated in 1949.

He did not get to work long after graduation because he was drafted into the Korean War. He had never really left the Rio Grande Valley, which he truly loved, and now he was ordered to cross the ocean to fight on the front line of the Korean War. He saw many of his fellow soldiers die right in front of him. He never quite recovered his old self after returning. He felt very lucky to return home alive and remained proud of his service to his country but preferred not to talk about his years in Korea. Once back home, he quickly had to become the man of the family because his father passed away. He worked hard to support his newly widowed mother and his 4 younger sisters. Eventually he wound up working at the 7-Up bottling company in La Feria as a delivery driver running a route from La Feria to Port Isabel and Brownsville and all the smaller towns in between. Moving all those wooden cases of bottled sodas helped him build strong muscles that eventually helped him win the girl of his dreams. He fell deeply in love with a Brownsville girl named Rosa Cantu, working as the hostess/cashier at the Tejas Café, which was one of his delivery stops. Decades later he would still tell his children that he had found the most beautiful girl in the world. She, of course, would also say that he was the most handsome and wittiest guy she had ever met. She fell for his cowboy boots and hat. They married in December, 1954, and started a home in La Feria. It was a love affair that ended 67 years later when Rosa passed away in February, 2023. They had 3 children: Liana Brewer (Steve), Chuck Turner (Doneva), and Corrie Tacke (Ed). You would often see him with his son and his son’s friends because he would take them hunting, fishing, etc. He was a mentor and teacher to many of the young men in his community that often needed a guiding hand in learning responsibility and patience. The Turner family would often be seen with a truck full of neighboring kids headed to Delta Lake or the beach.

He went on to stay working with the 7-Up company, moving up to a managerial position and eventually to the RC Cola Company in Harlingen when 7-Up was bought out by them. He finally retired after working for them for over 35 years. He only rested for a few months. He got a job driving the La Feria School bus for children with special needs. He loved this job so much that you would often hear him saying that he would’ve easily done the job for free. He and Rosa would deliver Christmas gifts, Easter baskets, and other gifts to the children on his route throughout the school year. He did this work for several years until he finally retired for the second time in his life. His kindness and steady presence made a lasting impact on many families.

Carlos would often be seen mowing his grass since his home was right next to the highway. His friends would tease him that if he stopped watering his lawn so much, he wouldn’t have to mow it so often. In his younger days, he loved to hunt and fish with his friends. He was also an avid reader and walker. He would walk from the southern city limit sign of La Feria to the Whataburger at the other end of town just for coffee or a lottery ticket at the Stripes.

Many knew him as Charlie…a quiet, soft-spoken man that would often surprise you with a witty comeback or new nickname for you. He leaves behind 4 grandchildren: Weston Brewer, Kandra Turner, Alyssa Arambula (Danny), and Alexy Turner. He also had 3 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great granddaughter. His family will miss him dearly. He was an average man with a big heart that never caused any trouble or owed anyone anything. Almost every year he would be the first one to pay his school and property taxes. He was not a rich man, but he was never without money. You would often see him with a cigar in his mouth, but he rarely lit it. He loved his children and grandchildren. They knew that they could count on him for anything they needed. He lived in La Feria all of his life and built a simple life centered on family and community. He never spent time worrying about what he didn’t have. He was always content with the blessings God had bestowed on him. Most of all, he loved his wife, and now after 37 months apart, they are happily back together.

Visitation will be held on Monday, March 30, 2026, from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm, with the recitation of the Holy Rosary commencing at 7:00 pm, at HEAVENLY GRACE FUNERAL HOME, 26873 N. White Ranch Road, La Feria, TX 78559.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in his honor at 10:00 am on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Saint Theresa Catholic Church, 1300 Combes St., San Benito, TX 78586.

Christian Burial will follow at HEAVENLY GRACE MEMORIAL PARK , 26873 N. White Ranch Road, La Feria, TX 78559, US, on March 31, 2026, at approximately 11:30 am.