Turner, Mary Morgan (Mrs. A.W.)
1/29/1935
1867 - January 29, 1935 |
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| Mrs. Mary Morgan Turner, daughter of J. S. and Rebecca Morgan, was born in 1867, at Harvell’s Mill, St. Helena Parish, La. She became the wife of our well-known and beloved Dr. A. W. Turner In September 1883. For thirty years she served as mistress of the parsonage and was faithful to Its many duties. It is no small task to fill the role of a preacher’s wife and at the same time rear a large family, but this she did, and today they are, with the exception of Ward Ella (Mrs. Seaman Mayo), who died some years ago, an upstanding group of men and women, serving well their church and community. They are: Mamie, secretary to the Shreveport City Council; Marvin, a Shreveport business man and a steward in First Church; Homer who follows his father’s line of work In New Orleans; Maude, in California; Anna Pharr and Warren, who belong to Mangum Memorial Church. Anna Pharr is State HI-League counselor and business manager of young people’s assemblies. For the past twenty years Mrs. Turner had been in her own happy home in Shreveport, while her husband engaged in prohibition work. Poor health curtailed her church activities the last ten years, and she was practically a shut-in. But as “all sorts of things and weather make up a year and a sphere,” so was her life mingled with sun and shadow. While a semi-invalid, she did not spend her time repining, but found pleasure in her flowers, writing poetry, and, most of all, in her children and grandchildren. Her back yard was her garden, where she found recreation and raised many flowers, which cheered her own room when she was forced to remain in bed. At such times she composed verses dealing ‘with daily affairs, friendship, and nature. Truly she understood the language of nature and passed many hours in communion with those mystic inhabitants of the world about us, which we having eyes see not, and ears, yet hear not. As a preacher’s wife she made no bid for publicity or popularity, but was a “homebody.” After all, maybe the Great Gardener felt about her as. she writes about one of her flowers, the chrysanthemum— “I went for a walk in my garden today And viewed my ‘mums’ in every direction. They all smiled up and seemed to say, We know we are deep in your affection.’ “Said the glaring yellow one, ‘Look at me, I am so big and tall.’ They danced and seemed so full of glee, But I turned to the little red ones by the wall. “‘You dear little red ones, you are so humble And so the Gardener plucked our flower, but the fragrance of her life lingers with us. Her funeral was conducted by her pastor, Robert M. Brown, at Mangum Memorial Church, January 28, on a beautiful afternoon. The setting sun flooded the altar where myriads of flowers testified to the love and respect in which she and her family were held. Bishop Dobbs spoke most fitting words of comfort. Others who took part were Dr. George Sexton, Dr. Dana Dawson, and Dr. John F. Foster. Her body was laid to rest in beautiful Forest Park cemetery. |
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| Source: Journal of the Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Pages 89-90, 1935, by Mrs. Robert M. Brown | |
