Mimia Darlene Turner

Mimia Darlene Sanson Turner, affectionately known as “Cricket” to family and friends, passed away unexpectedly on September 24, 2025. A family graveside service was held on September 30, 2025 at Mansion Memorial Park in Ellenton, Florida. A Celebration of Life memorial will be held on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in Durrance Hall at First Baptist Arcadia 1006 N. Brevard Ave., Arcadia, Florida. Please feel free to bring your favorite memories, stories, or photos to share. All are welcome.

Born on September 23, 1944, to Lona (McCourt) and Eskard Sanson in Sutton, West Virginia. She is predeceased by her parents, her sisters Nettie Gaye Joslin and Dollie Mae Holcomb, and her brother Donald Eskard Sanson. She is survived by her husband Carl Robert Turner, her daughters Shelia Kay Turner Pringle (Wally) and Robin Michelle Blalock (Justin), her amazing granddaughter Daisy Lauren Clemmons, her brother Flim Edward Sanson (Brenda), and numerous nieces and nephews.

Darlene moved to Bradenton, Florida as a teenager and she graduated from Southeast High School. She met and married Carl when he had completed his enlistment with the Navy and moved to Florida to help his parents with their new business Turner’s Spudnut Shop. They were married on December 21, 1963 and created a home filled with love. They were active members of Community Baptist Church in Oneco, and once Shelia started school at Community Christian School in Oneco, Darlene began working at the school, as a school bus driver and the PE teacher and girls sports coach, where she touched the lives of many students, teachers, and colleagues.

After both girls had graduated and were in college, Darlene went on to waitress at Ponderosa Steakhouse, managed at Mae’s Fabrics and then the home furnishing department at Scotty’s, and her most recent positions were with Tractor Supply Company as a receiver and then cashier. No matter where she worked, she was beloved by co-workers and customers alike.

In 1998, Darlene and Carl moved to Arcadia, where they made new friendships with neighbors and church family members from New Day Baptist Church and First Baptist Arcadia. Darlene loved the spiritual growth and support that continued in these congregations, and both she and Carl were actively involved in those ministries.

Darlene loved the Lord and shared God’s goodness and love with all she met. She accepted the gift of salvation as a teenager and lived her life according to God’s Word. She gave God all the glory for everything in her life.

After God, she loved her family above all others. First, her precious husband Carl, her daughters, and her precious granddaughter Daisy. She lived out unconditional love for all of them and demonstrated this by supporting dreams, encouraging new adventures and being a prayer warrior for her family. She was their rock when dreams and ideas succeeded, and she was a comfort when they fell short, always with a shoulder to lean on. She was an amazing friend and co-worker.

She loved pretty things and was surrounded by butterflies, flowers, teapots and teacups. She loved to see things grow, playing in the garden, not wanting to pull up anything even when told it was a weed. She loved to sew and create personalized gifts with her embroidery machine. She enjoyed beautiful, happy music and saw beauty everywhere. She loved children of all ages, but her pride and joy was her granddaughter Daisy, for whom she was a playmate from the beginning. She was cherished by all, no matter how you knew her. She showed us all how to live, really live life and live it well, to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. We are honored and are better humans because Darlene was a part of our lives.