James “Jim” Turner Jr, M.D.

James “Jim” Turner Jr, M.D.

1928-2016

James S. Turner II, MD, passed away Sunday August 14, 2016 at the age of 88, in the Oklahoma Veterens Center at Norman, OK. Jim was born in April 1928, the son of Sterling and Nelle Turner, in Rockwood, TN. He was the oldest of three children. Jim’s father was a Church of Christ minister, and the family moved frequently as he accepted several different pastoral positions. They spent time in Tennessee and Alabama before arriving in Oklahoma to stay in 1943. They lived in Seminole for two years and then moved to Midwest City where Jim graduated from high school.

He attended Central State College, now UCO, in Edmond, and in 1951 earned a Bachelors Degree in English. He then went to the University of Oklahoma where he studied Graduate Psychology and served as Student Assistant to the Professor until called into military service in 1952. He served in the U.S. Navy in air traffic control from 1952 through 1954.

After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he moved to Shidler, OK where he taught high school English, Drama, and coached football for one year.

During the years 1955 through 1959 he worked as a Drilling Mud Engineer with Magcobar Drilling Company. During this time he also went back to school at Central State and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry.

In 1959, at the age of 31, he once again returned to school at the OU College of Medicine and earned his Doctorate of Medicine. While he was a medical student in 1962, he married Janet “Jan” Minton and adopted her young daughter Joann. They had two sons, James (Jimmy) Sterling Turner III born in 1963 and Joseph (Joe) David Turner born in 1966.

Jim opened and ran a family medical practice in Thomas, Oklahoma for several years, then in 1969 was recruited to Edmond by the retiring Dr. Coyner to take over the existing practice. After practicing for several years he shifted the office hours to evenings in order to complete his two year residency in Internal Medicine during the day.

His wife, Jan Turner, passed away in 1976, and in 1978 Jim married Carolyn Best who had two sons, Jimmy and Rance. It was the last marriage that Jim’s father, Sterling, officiated.

From 1975 – 1982 he practiced Internal Medicine, was a clinical instructor at the Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and trained medical students at his private clinic.

In 1982 he was forced into retirement due to health issues. During the years of his convalescence his passion for study never dimmed. He wrote several manuscripts and published one book. In 1999 he studied and successfully reinstated his medical license and began, once again, a private practice in Internal Medicine. Three years later he suffered a stroke that forced him to retire for good.

Jim Turner earned three college degrees and an additional Internal Medicine Speciality Certificate, and then at age sixty-nine, he returned to re-take the state Medical Boards and work in his clinic again.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Virginia Hill and Mabel Petree; his first wife Jan Turner; his Son James “Jimmy” Sterling Turner III and his grandson, James “JT” Sterling Turner IV.

He is survived by his wife Carolyn; daughter Joann and husband Patrick Balfour; son Joe Turner and wife Cindy; Step-Son Jimmy Best and wife Dana; Step-Son Rance Best and wife Margaret; eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and numerous nieces and

nephews.

Jim was a long time member of the Edmond Church of Christ.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday August 19, 2016 at Matthews Funeral Home Chapel in Edmond, OK.

2 Timothy 4:7

I have fought the good fight.

I have finished the race,

I have kept the faith.