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Celebrating Jan Turner’s 100th Birthday

Tue, 02/11/2020 - 1:18 pm
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    Jan Turner celebrated her 100th birthday Saturday, Feb. 1. Many of her family and friends attended the event. Contributed photo

More than 60 friends and family gathered at Su Casa Restaurant in Breckenridge on Saturday, Feb. 1 to help Jan Turner celebrate her 100th birthday.

Hosting the catered lunch were her children, Clyde and Ann Turner Berkley, of Abilene; Freddie Turner Holybee, of Weatherford; John and Marcia Turner, of Gorman; and Gary and Linda Turner Skaggs, formerly of Norman, OK.
Eight out of her nine grandchildren were present: Chris and Charlcie Steuble, of MD; Kevin and Holly Berkley Fletcher, of VA; Andre and Christi Turner Trudeau, of CA; Leesa Skaggs, of OK; Delilah Runnels Herring, of Weatherford; Greg Runnels and Jack Runnels Holybee, of Weatherford. Granddaughter Laura Berkley O’Loughlin, of South Africa, was unable to attend.

Numerous great-grandchildren were also there, as well as great-nieces and nephews, some of whom she had not seen in decades. Many friends and neighbors from Breckenridge and Abilene also attended. Pastor Richard Darden of Shining Star Church in Abilene gave the invocation.

Jan loves to play bridge and still does as often as she can. She played with various groups in Breckenridge for over 40 years. Several of her bridge group friends were also in attendance: Betty Brewer, Willie Malone, Jo Kesner, Helen Kuhn and Zel Robison.

Jan was born February 5, 1920, in Coleman County and married Dub Turner there in 1937. In 1957, they moved to Abilene, where Dub was in the oilfield trucking business for many years. When Hubbard Creek Lake was built, they bought lots on Tanglewood Island and put up a house for weekend fishing trips, but liked it so much, they moved permanently in 1968.

Dub was known for his huge gardens where he grew just about everything. He passed away in 2005 and Jan continued to live at the lake alone until she was 97, then moved to live with Clyde and Ann in Abilene, but kept her lake house, where she spends a lot of time with Gary and Linda.

Jan is known for her sharp wit and observations on growing old: “These Golden Years aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.”

And when she had to give up independent living: “All this change would be a whole lot easier if I didn’t have my right mind.”