J. Platt Turner, Jr.

Services for J. Platt Turner, Jr., 96, will be held in Temple, Texas at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home. The service will be on Tuesday, February 2nd at 2:00 p.m. with visitation and viewing at 1:00 p.m. preceding the service. Dr. Russell Dilday of Dallas will be officiating. A private burial, handled by Scanio-Harper Funeral Home, will be in Memorial Oaks Cemetery, Houston, Texas. Mr. Turner passed away Wednesday, January 27, 2016 at home. He was born in Leaksville (Eden), North Carolina, September 21, 1919. He was a 1937 graduate of Leaksville High School, and was a member of the school’s football team. He graduated from Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, North Carolina in the class of 1940, majoring in business studies. He served for nearly four years in the United States Army Air Force during World War II. Upon honorable discharge from the USAAF, he attended Baylor University receiving a BBA degree in the class of 1947. He married his college sweetheart, Annie Kathryn Moore on October 14, 1947. She also was a member of the class of 1947. After living for a short time in Raleigh, North Carolina, he and his wife moved to Houston, Texas. Mr. Turner became head of an oilfield equipment manufacturing company in Houston and Edmonton, Canada. He served as a Director of the Petroleum Equipment Supplier’s Association for more than twenty years. He was also a Certified Public Accountant – a member of the Houston Chapter of CPA’s and The American Institute of CPA’s. He was a member of The Houston Club and Lakeside Country Club. Mr. Turner was a member of Tallowood Baptist Church where he served on several committees and as Chairman of the Board of Deacons. He was also a member of the Downtown Rotary Club in Houston and was a past President of Houston’s Breakfast Association. He served as a Trustee of San Antonio’s Baptist Children’s Home. In late 1977 Mr. Turner acquired Centrifugal Castings, Inc. in Temple. Later, he acquired Texas Precision Metalcraft, Inc. in Sugar Land, Texas. He operated these two foundries until 1995, when he expressed his appreciation for his employees in Temple by selling them the business through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. The business in Houston was transferred to family members. Mr. Turner was a member of the First Baptist Church of Temple where he served as an active deacon. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Wildflower Country Club, and the Rotary Club of Temple. He served on the Advisory Boards of the Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, North Carolina. In 1995 he was honored as “Alumnus of the Year” by Mars Hill College. In 1999 he was honored by the school as Philanthropist of the Year. Mr. and Mrs. Turner established student scholarship endowment funds at Baylor University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, University of Mary Hardin Baylor, Houston Baptist University, and Mars Hill College. He also served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Mary Hardin Baylor and the Foundation Board of Mars Hill College. Following a major renovation of Melrose dormitory, where Mr. Turner resided while a student at Mars Hill College, the Turner family was honored in 2002 when the dormitory was renamed “Turner Hall”. A section of the Mars Hill College Library also bears the name of “Turner”. Survivors are his wife, Kathryn (Kitty) Turner of Temple; two daughters, Mary K. Conner and husband Jerry of Sugar Land, Texas, and Martha Manley of Canon City, Colorado; four grandchildren, Emily Ferrell and husband Chase, Jonathan Conner, and Jessica and Rebecca Brunson; and three great-grandchildren. Also, a brother, Raeford K. Turner of Greensboro, North Carolina. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, Temple; Truett Seminary, Baylor University; the University of Mary Hardin Baylor, or charity of choice.