Darlene (Berger) Turner

Darlene B. Turner, loving wife, proud mother and grandmother and loyal friend, died on September 8th in Corpus Christi, Texas. She was 72. 

Darlene was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1947, daughter of Colonel N.J. and Grace Darlene Berger.  Growing up in a military family, which took her as far as Panama, Darlene graduated from high school in Springfield, Virginia, in 1965, and attended East Carolina University, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. 

While in college, Darlene worked as a camp counselor at Roslyn Episcopal Church Camp and met the love of her life and partner of nearly 53 years, Thomas S. Turner, III.   After first thinking he “talked and dressed funny,” Darlene found in Tom a kindred spirit, and they were married within three months.  Tom then enlisted in the Army and served a tour in Vietnam and upon his return, was stationed in Mineral Wells, Texas, where Darlene and Tom’s first child, Kristen, was born in 1972.   When Tom left the military, he entered law school in San Antonio, Texas, and the young family spent five years in San Antonio where their second child, Matthew, was born in 1976.  Wishing to further her studies as a nursing instructor, Darlene continued her education at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) Health Science Center, receiving a Master of Science in Nursing.

When Tom accepted a job at a law firm in Alice, Texas, the family began their relationship with a community that has been at the heart and soul of their lives for 40 years.  At the time, Darlene was still at UTSA and commuted to San Antonio weekly during the family’s first year in Alice.   Upon receiving her Master of Science degree, Darlene worked at Alice P&S Hospital, then moved on to the Rehabilitation Hospital of South Texas in Corpus Christi and spent the last 24 years as the Head of the Medical Department at the Glossbrenner Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility, retiring in April 2019.

While Darlene had a successful 50-year career as a Registered Nurse, it was her family that fulfilled her, and she met the second love of her life when her grandson, Samuel George Turner, was born in Manhattan, New York, in May 2010.   With the new addition, the family traveled often together, visiting places from Nantucket to Turks & Caicos to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and Darlene was the expert planner and master board-game player (all-time Skip-Bo champion), always ready for an adventure (even zip lining!) if it meant spending time with her family and friends.

While the loss is profound, the family is comforted by Darlene’s impact on those she loved and who loved her - hearing from many friends that, when they were ill or suffering, she sent them a weekly card to lift their spirits.  Her love of God inspired her to always give and serve which, in turn, inspired others to do the same, and we will all take with us her legacy of caring, selflessness and generosity.  Darlene is a light that was extinguished too soon but one that will lead us by the example of her indomitable spirit and boundless heart as she makes the journey to the One who forever loves her.  

Darlene is survived by her husband, Thomas S. Turner, III (Alice, Texas), daughter Kristen Turner and son-in-law Mike McLaughlin (New York, New York), son Matthew Turner, daughter-in-law, Rachel, and grandson, Samuel (Santa Monica, California), aunt Rosemary Berger (Detroit, Michigan) and sisters-in-law, Diane Ingoe (Philomont, Virginia) and Sally (Ed) Witter (Tallahassee, Florida) and nephews, Patrick (Nancy and their children Shelby and Rhett) Witter (Tallahassee, Florida) and Joel Witter (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).

A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 20, 2019 at Episcopal Church of the Advent in Alice, Texas with Rt. Reverend David Reed officiating. Memorials may be made to Episcopal Church of the Advent, 200 N. Wright St., Alice, Texas 78332 or to a charity of your choice.

Arrangements are entrusted to Holmgreen Mortuary, 2061 E. Main St., Alice, Texas. Condolences for the family may be offered at www.holmgreenmortuaryinc.com and shared via Holmgreen Mortuary Facebook.

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