William David Turner, Jr.

Asheville ~ William D. Turner, Jr., 79, of 8 Bourne Lane, Asheville, died Tuesday, November 18, 2003. He was born September 25, 1924, in Greenville, NC, the son of the late W. David Turner, Sr. and Selma Perkins Turner. He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary E. "Polly" Turner; daughter, Mary M. "Peggy" Agress of Seattle, WA, and granddaughter, Sally Ann Agress; son, William D. Turner, III, of Lewisburg, WV, and daughter-in-law, Susan L. Rosshirt; brother, Henry E. Turner of Laguna Beach, CA, and aunt, Hazel P. Vernon of Fort Worth, TX. He was preceded in death by a brother, James P. Turner. A graduate of Cornell University, Mr. Turner worked extensively in hotel management. Before retiring, he was Executive Vice President and Treasurer of Turnpike Properties, Inc., in Winston-Salem, NC. He managed the George Vanderbilt Hotel in Asheville from 1949-1960. He also was General Manager of the Pepsi Cola Company in Asheville. Mr. Turner was active in several trade organizations, having represented North Carolina as a Director of the American Hotel & Motel Association; served as President of the North Carolina Hotel & Motel Association; and served on the Governor's Advisory Committee on Travel & Tourism. He also was a Director of the Asheville Chamber of Commerce and Chair of its Convention & Tourist Committee. Mr. Turner was a member of the Rotary Club for over 50 years. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Air Force as a First Lieutenant, training fighter pilots at Eglin Field, FL. Mr. Turner was an avid angler his entire life, and enjoyed golf at the Biltmore Forest Country Club. A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 21, 2003, at 10:30 AM, at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian on Long Shoals Road, with the Rev. Thomas D. Hughes officiating. The family will receive friends following the memorial service at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St., Asheville, NC 28801, or to the Black Mountain Center Alzheimer's Program, 932 Old U.S. Hwy. 70 West, Black Mountain, NC 28711-4501.