Daniel Turner, Sr., was born in Washington, Georgia in 1936 to Kate Turner.  He moved to Ohio when he was 6 years old. As a child, he was a “good boy who never complained about anything,” and never got into trouble. He grew up with close cousins and family members, and made chug-chugs and dabbled in a childhood shoe-shine business with his first cousin, James Turner.

Daniel Turner attended Central High School, where he was known as “a really nice guy.”  He ran the half mile on the track team and was loved and respected by his classmates. Shortly after graduating high school, he joined the armed services where he served the country as a medic in the United States Army.  After leaving the Army, Dan volunteered with and worked as a Staff Assistant for the Summit County Chapter of the American Red Cross.  He was later employed by the Firestone Rubber & Tire, Co. and, in 1981, returned to the American Red Cross, where he worked for thirty years before retiring as Service Director in 2001.

In 1963, when Hellen Foston walked into the Laundromat, put a dime in a machine, and Dan told her, “That don’t work,” she met the love of her life. In 1964, Dan married the love of his life, Hellen, who was his faithful wife and best friend for 53 years.  Their union was blessed with two adoring children; Traci Royce Turner (Wilkerson) and Daniel Turner, Jr.  Dan was a humble family man who loved his family no matter how close or distant the relationship. He taught many of his cousins and family members to drive, shine shoes, tie a windsor knot and to be thoughtful, considerate and kind. He often surprised his young second- or third-generation cousins by showing up at their school events, taking them to Sea World, the movies or sporting events, or dropping by after school on a rainy day to give them a ride a home.   He was their sweet, loving Uncle Dan.  Dan and his wife were longtime members of the Prince of Peace Baptist Church, where he was a faithful follower and servant of Jesus Christ, a member of the usher board, and a scout master for the Boy Scouts.  In 1983, he was honored as Father of the Year.  In 2007, Dan and his beloved Hellen joined the Arlington Church of God. Dan enjoyed the welcoming members and church fellowship, as well as the new friends they made there.  He attended Men’s Sunday School as often as he could and was a faithful member who would often listen to the service online when he was unable to attend in person.  Dan was an awesome son, husband, father, uncle, grandfather, cousin and friend. He was humble, kind, patient, considerate, and had a wonderful sense of humor. He never raised his voice in anger and always made family time a priority. Dan enjoyed sports and was a fan of each of the local sports teams.

Dan was preceded in death by his brother, Herbert Harris, and step-father Reverend Thomas J. Allison. He leaves to mourn:  his mother, Kate Allison; wife, Hellen Turner; daughter and son-in-law, Traci and William Wilkerson, Jr. (Valley Stream, NY); granddaughter Maya Wilkerson (Valley Stream, NY);  grandsons, William Wilkerson III (Baltimore, MD) and Nicholas Wilkerson (Cleveland, TN); his son and daughter-in-law, Daniel Turner Jr. and Nicole Myers Turner (Philadelphia, PA); grandson, Eisa Turner (Philadelphia, PA); sister-in-laws Mary Ford (Chicago, IL), Rebecca James (Montezuma, Georgia),  Beatrice Gray (Irmo, SC), Margaret Liggins (Milledgeville, GA), and Christine Foston (Milledgeville, GA); favorite cousin James (Sharon) Turner (Sacramento, CA); cousin Mark (Ramona) Tolliver (Akron, OH), and a host of other cousins and family members.

Dan loved the Lord and lived a full and honorable life.  He went to be with the Lord on October 12, 2017.