Funeral services for Mary Elise Bush Turner, 96, of Sunflower will be at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, July 29 at Sunflower Baptist Church. She passed away on Wednesday, July 26 at Bolivar Medical Center in Cleveland. Burial will be in Indianola City Cemetery under the direction of Boone-Card Funeral Home, Indianola.
Mrs. Turner was born on January 31, 1921 to Albert Jasper Bush and Flonnie Arant Bush and married Gerald Elden Turner of Drew, MS on December 24, 1943. They were active members of the Blaine Baptist Church and the Sunflower Baptist Church.
Mrs. Turner was a Master Teacher in the Sunflower County Public school system for 39 years and worked closely with the Mississippi State University Education Department in organizing the first Kindergarten class in Sunflower County at Ruleville Elementary, Ruleville, MS. She also taught at Indianola Academy. She was a member of Sunflower Baptist Church, WMU, Delta Kappa Gamma, Sunflower County Homemakers and was a 4-H Club sponsor.
She is survived by four children; daughter Donna Turner Britt, (John) of Indianola, MS; son Gerald Elden Turner, Jr, (Wanda) of Richmond, VA; Tammy Turner Naron, (Duane) of Houston, TX; Rev. Robert Bush Turner, (Becky) of Marigold, MS, and son-in-law Thomas Hitchcock of Greenville, MS. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Gerald Elden Turner and daughter Tarlei Turner Hitchcock.
Mrs. Turner was blessed with 13 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and 3 great, great-grandchildren.
There will be a visitation one hour prior to services at the church. Rev. Elbert McKnight will officiate the services. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Sunflower Baptist Church, P.O. Box 175, Sunflower, MS 38778.