Mr. George W. “Jack” Turner Jr., age 98, of Portal, passed away Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at Ogeechee Area Hospice Inpatient Facility in Statesboro. Funeral service was held Friday, August 30, at 2 p.m. in Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home Chapel in Statesboro with Pastor Don Berry officiating, assisted by Reverend Bob Conley. Interment followed at Portal Cemetery. Family received visitors Friday, August 30, from 1 to 2 p.m. prior to the service at Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Trey Sutton, Brian Prebenda, Tyler Prebenda, Logan Prebenda, Mike Fields, Brett Parker and Mike Tillitski.
Jack was born December 1, 1925, to the late George W. Turner Sr. and Mary Fields Turner.
He graduated from Portal High School, where he played basketball. Jack enlisted in the Army at the age of 17 and served in Company B, 16th Tank Battalion in the European theater of World War II, helping to liberate Plzen, Czechoslovakia, among other places. He also attended the University of Georgia Savannah branch, earning a letterman’s sweater playing baseball for the UGA Savannah branch at Hunter Army Airfield. Jack’s plan was to be a baseball and basketball coach, and though he ended up pursuing a different profession, he was the unofficial coach and mentor for dozens of local boys. He lived in Portal nearly his entire life, other than military service and a brief time living in Atlanta. Jack was also an entrepreneur, owning GT Auto Parts for 67 years. He started it as a mobile auto parts business and eventually owned stores in Portal, Statesboro, Twin City, and Midville. Jack ran the business until the age of 95 and only stopped then because of complications from COVID. He loved watching the Braves and telling stories about baseball games from his youth. Jack was an active, lifelong member and deacon of First Baptist Church of Portal. Mr. Turner is preceded in death by his parents; sister, Matilou McKee; and brother-in-law, Vernon McKee.
Mr. Turner is survived by his wife, Frances Brown Turner; children, Robyn Prebenda (Brian) of Orlando, FL, Julie Sutton (Trey) of Richmond, VA and Lisa Turner of Marietta; grandchildren, Tyler, Logan and Ally Prebenda; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to: First Baptist Church of Portal, P.O. Box 477, Portal, GA 30450.
Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory of Statesboro was in charge of arrangements.
