Michael "Mike" Stanley Turner

Dr. Michael “Mike” Stanley Turner, 72, passed away on November 11, 2021 after a courageous fight with pancreatic cancer. For those who knew him, his bravery, strength and endurance throughout this battle was a testament to the character he showed throughout a remarkable life.

Mike was born in Minneapolis, MN to Beatrice (Gładziszewski) and Gerald Turner. He was the second of four children and remained close with his siblings Terie Turner, Patricia Collins, and Timothy Turner throughout his life. The Turners left Minneapolis in 1966 and traded 10,000 lakes for cheese by moving to Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. In 1972, Mike received his degree in pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and proceeded to The Medical School of Wisconsin, graduating with honors in 1976. From a Minnesota childhood to Wisconsin college career, Mike then ventured to another midwestern state to complete his residency in neurosurgery at Indiana University. It was in Indianapolis and neurosurgery that he established a lasting legacy in his professional and personal lives.

Mike joined Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group (ING) at Methodist Hospital in July, 1981. At ING, Mike specialized in pediatric neurosurgery and was on the forefront of treating pediatric patients from childhood to adulthood. He pioneered the use of intrathecal pumps to treat spasticity. Outside of his practice, he helped establish the Indiana chapter of ThinkFirst, a nonprofit that focuses on traumatic injury prevention. He was among the first trauma surgeons at Methodist, where he was a senior consultant in forming the state’s preeminent trauma program. He later helped author the CDC and Prevention Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of Traumatic Brain Injury Among Children. He was an engaged partner at Goodman Campbell until his retirement in 2013. After leaving practice he continued to contribute to the field of neurosurgery as a consultant for Medtronic. While consulting, as he did throughout his career, he educated, elevated, and improved safety through collaboration and support.

When it came to the care of his patients, Mike possessed a unique combination of energy and empathy. In a field that can be intimidating, he had a gift of humanizing medicine, helping those in his care to focus on their healing. He extended the same efforts to his staff; to become a part of Mike’s team was to become a part of his family. It is fair to say that Mike was truly beloved by his patients and team members.

While his accomplishments in the medical field were numerous, if you were to ask him, he was the most proud of his family. He would likely then add that he “made the most beautiful grandkids.” His family includes: children David Turner (Kat Cheng), Kate Stamatkin (Chris Stamatkin) and Julia Turner (Amit Patel), Kathy Flint and her daughter Hannah, and his grandkids Hugo, Wynn, and Georgia Stamatkin, Lincoln Scottie and Jackson Turner, and Roland Patel. His legacy will undoubtedly live on through the love he poured into his family. He gave selflessly, loved deeply, and showed compassion to all. He taught by example the virtues of generosity, hard work and never discriminated to whom he offered his time and love.

In the 1990’s, Mike found his ideal hobby in fly fishing. It was a passion that took him around the world and created many lasting friendships. He angled for trout in streams in Montana, for bonefish in the Caribbean, and even for exotic fish like peacock bass and piranha in the Amazon, but most often, he practiced his hobby closer to home at Sweetwater Lake, his home away from home since the mid-90’s. At the lake, Mike formed a strong community with his neighbors and would remark - like clockwork - as he watched a sunset from his boat, “Life doesn’t get much better than this.” He loved his lake family and spent as much time with them as he could, inviting them to partake in whichever ambitious meal he had prepared. During his annual 4th of July celebration, he was renowned for smoking a whole hog in his barbeque, organizing live music, and sharing both with as many people as he could. Mike loved to cook and found great pleasure in sharing both his know-how and the end results of his culinary prowess- each meal, of course, accompanied by a nice cold glass of Fisheye.

Please join us to celebrate the life and legacy of Mike on December 5, 2021 from 1-5 p.m. at The Heirloom at NK Hurst, 230 West McCarty Street, Indianapolis, IN 46225. His family has found great joy in hearing your stories and we look forward to more being shared during this celebration. In anticipation of a large crowd and honoring Mike’s lifetime commitment to keeping others safe, we respectfully request that all guests wear a mask while indoors. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to https://www.pancan.org/, continuing Mike’s fight against pancreatic cancer, or in support of his final project, the Ice Rink at Holliday Park, by visiting https://www.hollidaypark.org/support/donate/ and adding his name to the honor/memory section.