Gravesides services for Byron Turner, 89, will be held on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., at Woodland Cemetery near Kirvin.
Visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the cemetery. There will be no visitation at the funeral home.
Wayland Byron Turner passed away on March 10, 2024, at his home in Cotton Gin Texas. He was born March 19, 1934, in Freestone County to parents Ethel and Clyde Turner. His father passed away when he was only 14 and he went to work at the Nicholas and Magness Grocery in Teague after school. It was here he met his beloved Martha. He graduated from Teague High School in 1952 and headed to Dallas to work at the assembly plant for Ford. On June 27, 1953, he married the love of his life, Martha Brown.
In early 1954, they returned to her hometown of Humble and he went to work for her father in the oilfield industry. He quickly decided this was not the career he desired and entered night school to learn television and radio repair. After starting his own business, he began buying parts from a small company in Houston, Sterling Electronics. On April 1, 1959, he joined Sterling as an outside salesperson. He often expressed his gratitude to Mickey Spolane for giving him an opportunity. When Sterling expanded to Dallas, Byron was chosen to head up the expansion of the company into the industrial distribution business. Sterling went on to have facilities across the United States and he became a vice president. He retired following a 39 year career with the firm.
Following his retirement, he and Martha would return to Freestone County and build their dream home on Pecan Valley Ranch. They shared a deep love for the land and were very proud of the ranch. Byron also loved hunting and in the early years was an avid quail hunter and in his later years enjoyed hunting feral hogs. Byron and Martha also spent time in their retirement years traveling across the U.S. and Europe. He often reflected on what a wonderful life they shared together.
He is survived by one daughter, Melanie Eubanks & husband Robert; two grandchildren, Robert Eubanks Jr. & wife Ronda & their son Hayden, and Morgan Nicholas and husband Grant; one sister, Hilda McLeod, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mr. Turner was preceded in death by his beloved Martha; his parents, Clyde and Ethel Turner; siblings, Evelyn, Eugene, Jestene, Guy, Clydell, father and mother-in-law, Howard and Fannie Brown, and brothers-in-law, Howard Brown Jr, Michael Brown, and John McLeod.
The family asked in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org or the charity of your choice.
Please visit our website at www.bowersfuneralhome.net to sign the online guestbook or leave a message for the family.
