Frances M. Turner, 88, of Vero Beach, passed away on Dec. 13, 2015.
She is survived by her daughter Ann (Stanley) Jasinski; sons William (Susan), Bruce, Paul (Carla); grandchildren Charles Turner, Julie Doty, Jeremy (Emily) Turner, Darrell (Rebecca) Turner, Stephan (Stephanie) Jasinski, Ben and Zack Jasinski, Jenna (Joe) Ducharme, and Trevor Turner; great-grandson Jacob Jasinski; sister-in-law Theresa Turner; sister-in-law Lorraine Moller; several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
She was preceded in death by her sister Lois Miner Moller in 1972.
Turner was born July 2, 1927 in Great Barrington, Mass. Her parents were Julius D. Miner and Grace (Abercrombie) Miner. She grew up in Monterey, Mass., and attended grammar school at Monterey Center School.
She graduated in 1945 from the former Searles High School in Great Barrington and graduated from Middlebury College in 1949. She enjoyed her work in the Springfield, Mass., Library for a year. She married Frederick I. Turner of Egremont, Mass., on Oct. 14, 1950.
Turner served as an Egremont Library Trustee, elected as Egremont Representative to Southern Berkshire Regional School Committee (three terms), named to Massachusetts Board of Education by, then governor, Michael Dukakis (served five years).
She and her husband owned and operated Turner Farms, Inc. in South Egremont for many years. She drove a school bus for Greg Massini Bus Company for almost 30 years. She also worked as a bookkeeper at Haupt Tree Company for 10 years, and later as an assistant Treasurer for the Town of Egremont.
Turner was an organist and choir director of South Egremont Congregational Church from 1952 until 1979. She served as the summer organist at Christ Church in Mt. Washington, Mass., from 1980 until present. She was a member of First Congregational Church in Great Barrington, Mass., where she sang in the choir, and was a choir member at The Community Church in Vero Beach. She has been a part time resident of Vero Beach since 1981.
Turner accompanied her husband, Frederick, on People to People Trips to Europe, including a week in Russia in 1972, and another People to People Trip to Australia and New Zealand in 1974.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Egremont Fire Department, 175 Egremont Plain Rd, North Egremont, MA 01252 or Middlebury College, 14 Old Chapel Rd, Middlebury, VT 05753.
An online guestbook is available at www.lowtherfuneralhome.com.
