One of the great wits and a fine southern gentleman, Calvin Turner, 87, transformed from his earthly pilgrimage to his eternal heavenly home at his residence on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018 after a two year struggle with dementia. Calvin, a colorful character and a man who appreciated the virtue of laughter and joy, was born on June 9, 1930 near Saltillo to the late Cariel and Bertha Sample Turner. A man unafraid of work, his first job was cooking burgers at Tupelo’s legendary Dudie’s Diner. Calvin spent the next 22 years working at Mid South Packers. He and his family were the owner/operators of Family House Restaurant for 10 years. In l978, he founded Southern Quality Meats, a highly success meat processing company in Pontotoc, where his “secret seasoning” to processing sausage eventually led to distribution in 24 States. Calvin was a sport model, loving the company of family and friends and fishing. He was known far and wide for his Trot lines at Eastport and fishing the Tennessee River at Pickwick with everything from noodles for bait to gigs! Even when he couldn’t actually get there when his health begin to fail, he reminisced about his many years of fishing at Eastport and Pickwick. He also loved his beagles and rabbit hunting especially the Greenwood area. A longtime member of the West Main Church of Christ, Calvin and Sudie were great promotors of Elvis and the Tupelo legend and were charter members of the Elvis Presley Fan Club. Calvin cut a wide path in 87 years and touched the hearts and lives of his family and countless hundreds of friends everywhere. He will be sorely missed.
A service celebrating his life and his faith will be held at 4 PM Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018 at the Tupelo Chapel of Holland Funeral Directors with Ministers Robert Kingsley and James Segars officiating. Private burial will follow in Lee Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 1 PM-service time Sunday only at Holland-Tupelo Chapel, which are honored to be serving their friends.
Survivors include sweetheart of 63 years, his wife; Sudie Parham Turner; his children, Danny Turner (Phyllis) and Freddie Turner (Paula) and Lee Wayne Turner, who died Jan. 27, 2014. His grandchildren, Chip (Vanessa) Turner, Lori (Justin) Spires, Dan (Lindsey) Turner and Kristen (Tyler) Tucker. His great grandchildren, Hannah Westmoreland, Carson Spires, Channing Spires, Evan Westmoreland, Eliza Turner, Sadie Turner, Cal Turner, Sawyer Tucker and Drake Turner. His sisters, Ruby Wallace (Ken) and Betty Kingsley (Robert). He was preceded in death by his parents, his son and his siblings, Elbert, Gilbert and Charlie Turner.
Pallbearers will be Chip Turner, Dan Turner, Tyler Tucker, Justin Spires, Jimmy Ivy and Paul Bradley. Honorary pallbearers will be Allen Welford, Wayne Bullock, Howard Bland, Doc Powell, Jimmy Spencer and Dr. John Burk.
Memorials may be made to Sanctuary Hospice, P. O. Box 2177, Tupelo, MS. 38802.
