Obituary: Portal, Georgia Mr. George W. “Jack” Turner Jr., born December 1, 1925, age 98, of Portal, passed away on August 28, 2024, at Ogeechee Area Hospice Inpatient Facility in Statesboro, Georgia. He was an active, lifelong member and deacon of First Baptist Church of Portal. He 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 lived in Portal nearly his entire life, other than military service and a brief time living in Atlanta. He 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. He ran the business until the age of 95 and only stopped then because of complications from COVID. He graduated from Portal High School, where he played basketball. 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. His 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 loved watching the Braves and telling stories about baseball games from his youth. He is preceded in death by his parents, George W. Turner Sr. and Mary Fields Turner, his sister, Matilou McKee, and brother-in-law, Vernon McKee. He 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, GA, grandchildren Tyler, Logan, and Ally Prebenda, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. The family will receive visitors on Friday, August 30, 2024 from 1:00pm until 2:00pm at Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home in Statesboro. The funeral will follow the visitation in the funeral home chapel with Pastor Don Berry officiating, assisted by Reverend Bob Conley. Interment will be at Portal Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Trey Sutton, Brian Prebenda, Tyler Prebenda, Logan Prebenda, Mike Fields, Brett Parker, and Mike Tillitski. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to First Baptist Church of Portal, P.O. Box 477, Portal, GA 30450. Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory of Statesboro is in charge of arrangements.
Funeral arragements: Friday, August 30, 2024 2:00pm At Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home in Statesboro, GA
Birth info: 12/01/1925 Portal , GA
Death info: 8/28/2024 Statesboro, GA
