Obituary for Leon Eldon Turner Jr. Leon Eldon Turner was born June 29, 1930 and was Promoted to Glory on July 13, 2018. Born in St Louis, Missouri to Leon Eldon, Senior and Sarah Mildred (Rugh) Turner, he was the second of their six children. He met The Salvation Army at the age of 7 where he experienced the joy of salvation and committed himself to a life of service to God and mankind.
After high school he entered the School for Officers’ Training in Chicago Illinois. In 1949 he was ordained as a minister of the Gospel and commissioned as a Salvation Army officer. He married Gladys Lucille Cointin, also a minister and officer, on June 30, 1951.
They had two daughters, Catherine Louise and Karen Lynn. He taught them, by word and by deed, to love the Lord, the wonderful world our Creator has given us, and to love each other. Leon and Gladys served side-by-side until Gladys’ death in 2013.
Their careers started in the Midwest, providing pastoral care in Alton, IL as well as Moberly, Salem, Hannibal, Springfield and West Plains MO. They worked in administrative capacities in St Louis, MO and Grand Rapids, MI. He organized and directed the National Centennial Congress, celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Salvation Army’s presence in the United States, and then realized a life-long hope of performing mission work which took them to Mexico, all of the Central America countries, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
They returned to administrative work in California for the last 10 years before retirement in 1995. But, that wasn’t enough! Leon began organizing mission tours, taking Salvationists around the world to participate in mission projects as well as raise funds for The Salvation Army’s World Services.
Before accepting his final assignment in the Bahamas, 15 years after he officially “retired”, Leon had worked and served in 59 countries as well as across the Central and Western United States. His last years were challenging but he was surrounded by supportive friends and family, returning for the last few months of his life to St Louis to be close to his daughters. He continued to love his Lord, his family, and The Salvation Army.
Leon was preceded in death by his wife, Gladys, his parents Leon and Sarah Mildred, and his brothers Raymond, Earl, and Murrel, as well as Raymond’s wife DeeDee, Murrel’s wife Margaret, his sister Shirley’s husband Richard and his brother James’ wife Barbara. He is survived by his children Catherine (Glen) Strang and Karen (Bill) Bogasch, his grandson Daniel Strang and his Great-granddaughter Avery Strang as well as his sister Shirley Morgan, his brother James Turner, his brother Earl’s wife Arlene, brothers-in-law Richard (Yvonne) Cointin and Paul (Mary Ann) Cointin, and many loving nieces, nephews and extended family members. Memorial services will be held in St Louis, MO and in Clearwater, FL.
In St Louis: The Salvation Army Gateway Citadel Corps 824 Union Road St Louis, MO 63123 10:30 AM, Saturday August 11, 2018 In Clearwater, Florida The Salvation Army Clearwater Corps 1625 N Belcher Road Clearwater, FL 33765 10:30 AM, Saturday September 15, 2018 Internment to follow immediately at Memorial Park Cemetery 5750 49th Street North St Petersburg, FL 33709 Memorial donations may be made to The Salvation Army World Services efforts through your local corps. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Leon Eldon Turner Jr. please visit our Sympathy Store.
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