Cletus Eugene "Gene" Turner Obituary (1927

Mr. Cletus "Gene" Eugene Turner, age 95, of Dupont, Indiana entered this life on May 5, 1927 in Sullivan County in the town of Carlisle. He was the loving son of the late Winfield Scott and Lena Spoonemoore Turner. He attended the Carlisle High School and was inducted into the United States Navy at the age of 17. He entered on May 2, 1945 in Vincennes, Indiana and rose to the rate of Seaman Second Class during World War II. He was honorably discharged on June 2, 1946 at Shoemaker, California receiving the American Area Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. He returned home and was united in marriage on July 31, 1945 to Audrey Lucille Kirk. This union was blessed with six daughters, Brenda, Glenna, Marsha, Audrey Lynn, Susie, and Lana. He worked early in life as a telephone lineman and for the New York Central Rail Road. He then worked as an over the road truck driver for twenty years having driven for Dust Motors in East Chicago. He began a new career as a commercial scuba diver working for the City of Chicago and Mobil Oil Company and retired at the age of 67. He owned his own diving boats called "Ole Betsy" and the "Lady Eight". Many of his diving items are in the Lockwood Museum and Gene is remembered as the "Grandfather of the Great Lakes". On November 22, 1991 he was united in marriage to Mildred "Millie" Grace Koselke in Madison. During his various careers he also became a scuba diver instructor and taught many people how to dive. He loved treasure hunting, metal detecting, deep sea fishing, boating, and being out doors. He loved living in Dupont for the past 23 years. He was raised protestant and attended the Lancaster Baptist Church. Gene died on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 12:55 p.m. at the River Terrace Health Campus in downtown Madison, Indiana. Please Click Here to View the Video Tribute. Please Click Here to View the Funeral Service Recording A LOVING FAMILY Gene will be missed by his loving daughters, Brenda Phegley and her husband, Michael, Glenna Henkenmeier, Marsha Szotek and her husband, Paul, Sr., Lana Telschow, Audrey Lynne Slivka and her husband Virgil; his step daughter, Deborah "Debbie" Perman and her husband Dennis; his 17 grandchildren; his 20 great grandchildren;his 5 great great grandchildren; his brothers, James W. Turner, Merle L. Turner, Paul E. Turner, Robert R. Turner; several nieces, nephews and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his father, Winfield Scott Turner, died April 8, 1984, his mother, Lena Spoonmore Turner, died May 2, 1992, his first wife and mother of his daughters, Audrey Lucille Kirk Turner, died October 4, 2005, his second wife, Mildred "Millie" Grace Koselke Turner, died April 30, 2020, his sisters, Edith Evelyn Ruble, died September 18, 2016, Mary Elizabeth Buffington, died August 8, 2013, Norma Ilene Kirk, died January 6, 2023, his brother, Norman Ray Turner, died May 31, 2010, his daughter, Susie Bates, died June 2, 1998, his sons in law, Lynn Henkenmeier and Ray Telschow. FUNERAL CEREMONY Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at 12:00 pm, at the Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre, 325 Demaree Drive in Madison, Indiana. Interment will follow in the Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery,1415 North Gate Road in Madison, Indiana. TO WATCH THE FUNERAL LIVE PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW:https://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/86508/hash:B6F1E012CDA674AE VISITATION Friends may visit Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre, 325 Demaree Drive in Madison, Indiana.MILITARY HONORSA final Salute and Military Honors will be provided by the Major Samuel Woodfill Post No. 9 of the American Legion and the United States Navy Ceremonial Unit.MEMORIAL EXPRESSIONS Memorial contributions may be made to the DAV - The New Van Fund. Cards are available at the Morgan & Nay Funeral Centres of Madison and Hanover. Online condolences, remembrances, and memorials can be left at www.morgan-nay.com Place An Online Memorial To send a flower arrangement in memory of Cletus Eugene "Gene" Turner, please click here to visit our sympathy store.