Barbara Mary (Addison) Turner

Barbara Mary Addison Turner, born in Lynn, MA, in 1924 and died peacefully in Black Mountain, NC, June 21, 2020. Daughter of Thomas and Margaret Addison, she is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, the Rev. William (Bill) J. Turner; daughter Martha (Russell Henly) of Sacramento, CA; son Neil and granddaughter Lauren of Asheville, NC; goddaughter/niece Eleanor Addison Tishler of New Hampshire; and grandnephews David and Scott Unsworth of Florida and New Hampshire, respectively. Recently predeceased by nephew Richard Unsworth of New Hampshire.

After graduating from Katharine Gibbs School in Boston, Barbara enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served her country stateside during WWII. In celebration of VE Day (Victory in Europe) Barbara and a Navy colleague, while in uniform, were the first two women to ring the bell in Boston’s Faneuil Hall. Barbara deeply cherished this memory. Following her discharge from the Navy, she enrolled at Cornell University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, after which she worked for several years as an executive secretary in Manhattan. She later completed a Master of Education degree at Boston University. During their life together, the Turners served Episcopal parishes in Millinocket, ME, Buffalo and Liverpool, NY; and Wellesley and Gloucester, MA; later retiring to Asheville.

Barbara was an extraordinary crafter, with a gifted eye for color and pattern. She loved the natural world and good cooking, and she brought attention-to-detail to all that she did. Throughout her life, Barbara was dedicated to the Episcopal Church of America. She advocated for many church matters, including collaborating with the late Rev. Mason Wilson, Jr., to found the laity-based Laying on of Hands and the Laypersons Pastoral Care Programs at the Cathedral of All Souls in Asheville.

The family extends its deep appreciation to the staff of the North Carolina State Veterans Home in Black Mountain for the outstanding care they provided to Barbara during her final years. Memorial donations suggested to the Cathedral of All Souls, 9 Swan Street, Asheville, NC 28803. Public memorial to be announced at a later date.