1932 – 2026
Bill James Turner passed away peacefully in his sleep in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on March 23, 2021, at the age of 89.
He was survived by his brother, Tom; daughters Betsy (Dennis), Sally (Bernhardt), Susan (Cameron); grandchildren Wiley (Lena), Maxwell (Lauren L.), Miles (Lauren G.), Grace (Matt), Stewart, Emmett (Marisa); great-grandsons Ari and Forrest; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Carole Sue, and his parents, Forrest and Dorothy Turner.
Bill was born in Elgin, Illinois, on March 10, 1932. He graduated from high school in Joliet, Illinois, where he was president of his senior class. At the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, he was on the NCAA wrestling team, a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity, enrolled in the Air Force ROTC program, and earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Education and Recreation. Bill married Carole Sue Owens in 1955. Soon after, Bill served as the Recreation Office in the United States Air Force in Fairbanks, Alaska. Following that, he taught and coached wrestling and soccer at New Trier High School and, with Carole Sue, created the Skidaddlers Ski Club, taking large groups of high school students on ski trips to Colorado for several years. After teaching, he had a successful sales career in the security industry. He was a lifelong learner, taking classes during retirement at the University of Wisconsin Parkside and Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Bill and Carole Sue were proud of their daughters and extended family, generously sharing vacation adventures and celebrating life accomplishments. Bill had a lifelong love of the outdoors and recreation. He enjoyed skiing, camping, canoeing, and time at the beach. He was an avid reader and especially liked history. Bill was a very social person who appreciated interesting conversations with a wide range of people. He is fondly remembered by family and his many friends.
Sunset Options Funerals & Cremations Inc.
904 E. Rawson Ave.
Oak Creek, Wisconsin
