Morris Lee Turner

AIKEN – Lt. Colonel Morris Turner, US Army, (Ret.), 95, passed away Friday, February 19, 2016. He was born in Henry Co., Missouri, a son of the late Romie and Nell Turner, and spent his formative years in Atlanta, GA where he fondly remembered taking a nickel to the Fox Theatre to catch a film. Morris met his wife, Gena V in Greenville, MS and they moved to Shreveport, LA where they raised their daughter, Laura. He is a retiree from Equifax, with 29 years of service. He spent a total of 26 years in the military, both active duty and in the Army Reserves. He was a graduate of the Medical Administrative Corps, and Adjutant General Corps. He served with the Eighth Army Air Corp in WWII as a Medical Supply Officer. Morris was recalled to active duty during the Korean War and served as an Assistant Battalion Surgeon in the Third Infantry Division. He retired from the military in August of 1980 as Lieutenant Colonel. Recently, he participated in an oral history video project capturing his military service in WWII and Korea that was placed in the Smithsonian archives. Morris was an active member of the Baptist churches where he lived and served as a Sunday School teacher and loved singing in the choir. He gave of his time to chaperone young people on missions trip to Brownsville, TX and Matamoros, Mexico and was a past president of the Lions Club. After his retirement, he enjoyed volunteering in a hospital setting because of his prior connection with medical units in the military. Reading, anything and everything, was one of his lifelong passions. A lover of life, quick witted and always ready to share a story or joke, he entertained friends and caregivers with songs from the past. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Catherine. He is survived by his wife, daughter Laura Mercer (Larry) of Aiken, grandson Aaron Mercer (Emily) of Nashville, TN and great-grandchildren Ella and Miles also of Nashville. The family will receive friends beginning at 1:00 PM, and the funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM Sunday in the Shellhouse Funeral Home Chapel, Hayne Ave. with the Reverend Dr. Fred W. Andrea, III officiating. Interment with full Military Honors will follow in the historic Bethany Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 3157, Aiken, SC 29802. SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC. Mr. Turner’s online guest book may be signed at www.shellhousefuneralhome.com To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Morris Lee Turner, please visit our flower store.