Sharon Fouche Turner

Sharon Lucille Fouche’ Turner entered this world on February 24, 1944, in the midst of a great war, and departed for the next world on March 9, 2020, in a time of peace and prosperity.

Born in rural Columbus, GA, she lived in Gainesville, FL;  Fort Sill, OK;  Ann Arbor, MI;  West Point, NY;  New Orleans, LA;  and Nashville, TN.  She put down roots in each community, but none deeper than in Nashville, where she spent the last 33 years of her life.  She was a proud member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood and believed deeply in their mission to educate young women, making annual donations to Cottey College.  She believed in helping those less fortunate, supporting numerous charities and making a mission trip to Guatemala.

Sharon was deeply religious and carried on a long and personal relationship with God.  She read widely in the Western canon, loved the works of C.S. Lewis and believed in the power of prayer.  She had close prayer partners her entire life. She was an active member of Hillsboro Presbyterian Church serving as an Elder, a Deacon, leader of the Women’s Breakfast, which she cherished, and a Sunday School teacher.

She was the first person in her family to graduate from college, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Florida.  She went on to earn a Masters Degree in Guidance and Counselling from Long Island University.  She practiced as a licensed physical therapist for more than forty years, working for the US Indian Health Services in Lawton, OK;  Jo Ellen Smith Memorial Hospital in New Orleans and Vanderbilt University Home Health Services in Nashville.

Sharon met her husband at a dance for young officers at Fort Benning, GA.  Having decided to go to the dance at the last moment, she so enraptured him that he sent her flowers every day for weeks until she agreed to see him again.  They married on October 18, 1969 and forged a true partnership that lasted more than 50 years across 8 states and through numerous houses, jobs and life changes.  She endured her fiancée’s tour of duty in Viet Nam, then her husband’s service in South Korea along with other short tours.  She shouldered the burdens of kids, keeping the home fires burning and work.  She balanced her husband’s impulsiveness with a steady and calm demeaner.

She raised four sons providing wisdom, guidance, strength, love and a shoulder to cry on.  She sewed costumes, packed lunches, made dioramas, provided shuttle services to track meets and moved field equipment as a band parent. She lived long enough to see four college graduation ceremonies, three weddings and the births of six of seven grandchildren.  She reveled in the success of her children and grandchildren, regularly sending letters, cards and gifts to celebrate birthdays, promotions, anniversaries and holidays.

Sharon loved all living things, except for the giant cockroaches in New Orleans, with a special fondness for dogs and cats.  She was the primary caregiver for a succession of furry family members, mostly acquired from friends and streets, keeping them warm, fed and loved.  Like her mother Charlotte, she had a green thumb and was forever tinkering in her back yard with a mixture of bought, donated and volunteer plantings.

She was an easy traveler and she never really went as a tourist in a group.  Especially in retirement, travels increased to children and grandchildren wherever they were.  She flew to Germany by herself to meet her husband on an Army assignment, visited a safari park in Indonesia, traversed the Ngorongoro Crater full of wild herds in Tanzania, climbed Tikal in Guatemala, visited both ends of Canada, bought lace in Belgium, helicoptered over the Grand Canyon, and wandered up and down Coastal France.

She was a consummate Southern Lady who cared about manners, hospitality and friendship.  She wrote thank you notes by hand, kept in touch with old friends through letters and always had a pitcher of sweet tea ready.  She loved to cook and bake, often in large amounts for youth groups and a Christmas Cookie time, knew good grits from bad, and appreciated fine meals with friends.

She was an uncomplaining patient of the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute for almost a decade.

Sharon is survived by her husband of 50 years, Colonel (Ret) Robert ‘Bob” Turner, four sons and their families:  Jonathan and Elaine of Reston, VA (with Sophia and Patrick);  Daniel and Deana of The Woodland, TX (with Jackson and Ethan);  Stuart and Jennifer currently stationed in Kuwait (with Emma Colyer, Lucille and Roy);  and Benjamin, now in Fort Worth, TX.  Other living family include Bob’s brothers Ben Jr ‘Chip” in Pennsylvania and Douglas Turner in Nashville;  and Sharon’s brother’s wife Martha with her two children Stacy and Robert and their families in Georgia.

Sharon was laid to rest March 16, 2020 in the Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery after a family service at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home.  She joined a long row of veterans and spouses from every service and is honored every national holiday.  Husband Bob will join her eventually, marked by the same white marble headstone.  Her Celebration of Life at Hillsboro Presbyterian Church, Nashville, TN, was postponed for over two years due to ongoing Covid restrictions but is now scheduled for Wednesday September 13, 2023 at 11:00 AM.   All are welcome.  Bright colorful clothes are requested.  Lunch by Uncle Bud’s Catfish, cooked on site, will immediately follow.  In lieu of flowers, a contribution to the Hillsboro Presbyterian Church, marked Guatemala Children’s Mission, is offered on a totally voluntary basis.