William Keith Turner, 90, of Spring Arbor, MI (and former resident of Pioneer, OH and Hillsdale, MI) passed away on Friday, April 29, 2022, at Henry Ford Allegiance Hospice Home in Jackson, MI.
Bill was born, as he has pointed out, “at an early age” on Oct. 11, 1931 in St. Marys, OH, the son of Ross Dale and Fay Eileen (Kiser) Turner.
He was the president of his 1949 graduating class at Pioneer High School and served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1952 – 1954 as a radioman, while deployed in the Mediterranean area during the Korean Conflict. He continued to serve in the Marine reserves until 1960.
Bill was involved in the newspaper and printing profession and participated in the industry’s transition from needing lines of type molded from molten metal to the computer age.
During high school, he helped his father in the printing of Pioneer’s weekly newspaper, the Tri-State Alliance.
After his stint in the Marines, he was employed in the production of the Bryan Times as a linotype operator.
After the death of his father in 1966, Bill published the Tri-State Alliance until its final issue in 1974.
For the next 25 years, he served in various capacities at the Hillsdale Daily News, from advertising salesman, production supervisor and eventually as publisher of the newspaper.
He was elected as a village councilman in Pioneer, served as a volunteer in the Pioneer Fire Department and was a member of Agnew-Shinabarger American Legion Post 307 at Pioneer.
He was a member of several Hillsdale service organizations, including Kiwanis and the United Way.
An avid reader, Bill kept a spreadsheet to track the hundreds of novels he had read, cataloged by his favorite authors.
Those who have been blessed to know him have enjoyed his subtle wit and humor. This trait may have been successfully passed on to his next generations.
A lifelong Detroit Tigers fan, his life spanned all four Tigers World Championships but, after waiting 38 years, he now passes the anticipation of a fifth championship to others.
Bill married Betty Lou Mercer on Dec. 29, 1951 in Pioneer and they had three children: William A. (Cindy) Turner of Pioneer, Robert K. (Karol) Turner of Lucas, OH and Becky S. (Jerry) Jackson of Delphos, OH. Betty passed away in 1986.
Bill increased his family by another three children when he married Mary (Smith) Shoemaker on Sep. 3, 1994, adding: Dianne Denecochea of LaJolla, CA, Gail Brenton of Jackson, MI and David (Bethany) Shoemaker of Louisville, KY.
He is survived and will be missed by his wife Mary and his six children as well as 13 grandchildren (Shawn William, Craig, Jason, Mycalah, Myriah, Jaret, Mykenah, Avalon, Devon, Shane, Danielle, Darcy and David) and 9 great-grandchildren (Ben William, Travis, Jake, Trenton, Addyson, Tucker, Letti, Evi and Bo William). He is also survived by sisters-in-law Loralee Mercer and Eileen Turner and was preceded in death by his brothers Larry Jo Turner (1949) and Ross Thomas Turner (2012).
A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.
