Gloria Kahoun Turner

Born December 9, 1937, Gloria grew up in Dayton, Ohio, the only child of Mazel and Frank Kahoun. She attended Stivers High School, where she was a majorette and Queen of Hearts, then left Dayton for The Ohio State University, where she graduated with a degree in early education and was a loyal and devoted member of Kappa Alpha Theta.

At Ohio State, Tom first spotted Gloria doing the Charleston at a fraternity party and was smitten. They married and made Columbus, Ohio, their home, creating friendships and traditions that would carry them through the decades.

Gloria and Tom built a wonderfully full life together—raising three children, playing tennis and bridge, traveling, entertaining and surrounding themselves with an astonishing number of friends. Gloria could often be found in her tennis whites, small but mighty, racing across the court for a backhand return.

She was the wife of the late Tom Turner; mother of Dave (Sara) Turner, Mike Turner and Molly (Greg) Balla; and proud “Gramma Gloria” to Carolyn “Katie” Turner, Judson “Jud” Turner and Spring Balla.

She made friends easily, and many of those friendships lasted 60 and 70 years. There were Theta friends, tennis friends, bridge friends and The FOG—Friends of Gloria. Couples Circle, formed through First Community Church in the 1960s, brought together young married couples who met monthly for dinner, drinks, stories and laughter and became lifelong friends.

Gloria nurtured those connections. She called, wrote, gathered, remembered and showed up.

She tended to people and things with equal enthusiasm. She drew, painted, decorated cards and made the wonderfully silly Fourth of July invitations that became part of the Brandon Road tradition. She loved gardens, magazines, shopping, bakeries and passing things along to friends and family. Long before “wellness” became a thing, she was forever sharing the latest health advice—earning the family nickname “the Witch Doctor.” And through it all, there were ladybugs, the little symbol she shared with her mother, Mazel, and passed down through the family.

Gloria lived a long life filled with family, friendship, creativity, laughter, traditions and people she cared about. She believed in showing up, staying connected and making things a little prettier and a lot more fun.

In lieu of flowers or donations, Gloria would probably prefer that you call an old friend, meet someone for coffee, or pay it forward at the Starbucks drive-through.

And if you feel inspired to bring back the Charleston or the Jitterbug, all the better.

Her life will be remembered with a memorial service at 3:00 PM, Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Schoedinger Northwest, 1740 Zollinger Road, where a reception will follow until 5:00 PM. She will be privately interred at Wesley Chapel Cemetery.