James “Kelly” Turner, age 91, of Brandon, MS passed away on Sunday, June 24, 2018. Funeral services will be held at Lakewood Funeral Home on Saturday, June 30, 2018 at 11:00 AM with visitation one hour prior. Interment will follow at Lakewood Memorial Park.
Kelly was born in Ludlow, MS on August 28, 1926. After graduation from Ludlow High School, he joined the United States Navy during WWII and served on a mine sweeper in the South Pacific.
Upon returning home, he continued his education at Mississippi College graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree.
He began working at The Mississippi State Rating Bureau, rating fire equipment throughout the state.
He married the love of his life, Helen Berry Allen and they set-up family life in Jackson, MS. They moved to the Reservoir in 1977. The couple enjoyed water skiing and traveling the country and world together for the next 31 years, until her death in 1995.
He was a 32nd Degree Mason and belonged to Masonic Lodge Museum Watt Carter Lodge #636, F. & A.M. He was also a Shriner and made many trips to Galveston, TX to the Shriner’s Children’s Burn Center carrying children for treatment with his good friend, Travis Winter. He was a member of Oak Dale Baptist Church.
He was a strong family man who loved the Lord, enjoyed cooking, a good joke, music, reading and sitting on his back patio watching the wildlife at his Reservoir home.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Berry Turner of Simpson County, MS and his parents, William E. and Lilla Mae Turner.
He is survived by two sons, James “Jim” Kelly Turner, Jr. (Olga) of Palm Bay, FL and Kelvin Berry Turner (Holly) of Brandon, MS; daughter, Angela “Angie” Helene Giacona (Michael) of Madison, MS; two grandsons, five granddaughters, one great-grandson and three great granddaughters.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Sunnybrook Children’s Home, Ridgeland, MS and Shriner’s Children’s Burn Center, Galveston, TX.
Please visit lakewoodfuneralhomes.com for online guestbook.
