Viola J Turner
May 5, 1930 ~ April 14, 2022 (age 91) 91 Years Old
Tribute
OBITUARY
Viola Joan Thurlby was born May 5th, 1930 in Shovel Lake, Minnesota to Manches and Gertrude Thurlby, the first of six children. She entered into heaven on April 14, 2022.
She had a life well lived, devoted to God, family and friends.
She graduated Remer High School in 1948 and traveled west to San Diego, California, to attend college. She met her first husband, Max Cochran and moved to Madera. From this marriage, she had three children. They divorced in 1959 and she became a strong, single parent overcoming many obstacles.
She was employed by Madera Unified School District, Fresno Unified School District and later Guarantee Savings Bank.
She met Victor Turner from the neighborhood, who also had three children. They married December 10th, 1966, and were together fifty-five years.
They joined, “Pairs of Four” Square dancing and met life-long friends, which they traveled cross-country in a motor home; three of the women to this day still meet for lunch.
Volunteering was one of her greatest loves and she believed everyone should give of themselves, to help others. She volunteered at St. Vincent DePaul, was an adult literacy tutor and at the Madera Public Library where she was named Employee of the Year.
She also felt passionately about education to assist with achieving one’s goals. She continued to take college classes into her 80’s. Viola loved to write and participated in a writer’s guild and had numerous articles published. She was in the process of writing a book titled, “Oh to be 80 again”, to assist other “old people” growing older. Those were her words!
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Ralph Thurlby and stepson Victor Turner.
Left to mourn is her husband Victor H. Turner, daughter Joanne Andrews (Dana), sons, Vern and James (Deanna) Cochran, stepdaughter Karen Rhodes and stepson Teddy Turner. Sisters, Betty Harrison, Phillis Nelson, Faye Henry and brother, Leroy Thurlby. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and another one due in June 2022. One of her greatest joys in life was all of her grandkids!
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at Jay Chapel from 3:00 pm 7:00 pm.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 28th, 2022 at 11:00 am at Jay Chapel with graveside to follow at Arbor Vitae Cemetery.
Donations can be made to the American Red Cross, American Kidney Association and American Cancer Society.
Viola Joan Thurlby was born May 5th, 1930 in Shovel Lake, Minnesota to Manches and Gertrude Thurlby, the first of six children. She entered into heaven on April 14, 2022.
She had a life well lived, devoted to God, family and friends.
She graduated Remer High School in 1948 and traveled west to San Diego, California, to attend college. She met her first husband, Max Cochran and moved to Madera. From this marriage, she had three children. They divorced in 1959 and she became a strong, single parent overcoming many obstacles.
She was employed by Madera Unified School District, Fresno Unified School District and later Guarantee Savings Bank.
She met Victor Turner from the neighborhood, who also had three children. They married December 10th, 1966, and were together fifty-five years.
They joined, “Pairs of Four” Square dancing and met life-long friends, which they traveled cross-country in a motor home; three of the women to this day still meet for lunch.
Volunteering was one of her greatest loves and she believed everyone should give of themselves, to help others. She volunteered at St. Vincent DePaul, was an adult literacy tutor and at the Madera Public Library where she was named Employee of the Year.
She also felt passionately about education to assist with achieving one’s goals. She continued to take college classes into her 80’s. Viola loved to write and participated in a writer’s guild and had numerous articles published. She was in the process of writing a book titled, “Oh to be 80 again”, to assist other “old people” growing older. Those were her words!
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Ralph Thurlby and stepson Victor Turner.
Left to mourn is her husband Victor H. Turner, daughter Joanne Andrews (Dana), sons, Vern and James (Deanna) Cochran, stepdaughter Karen Rhodes and stepson Teddy Turner. Sisters, Betty Harrison, Phillis Nelson, Faye Henry and brother, Leroy Thurlby. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and another one due in June 2022. One of her greatest joys in life was all of her grandkids!
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at Jay Chapel from 3:00 pm 7:00 pm.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 28th, 2022 at 11:00 am at Jay Chapel with graveside to follow at Arbor Vitae Cemetery.
Donations can be made to the American Red Cross, American Kidney Association and American Cancer Society.
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