Reather Turner

May 1, 1944 – January 8, 2014

Reather Elizabeth Turner was born in Bamberg SC, to Wilber and Elouise Dixon. She worked as an Entertainer most of her life in the group The Bobbettes.

The Bobbettes were composed of five little girls from Harlem. The five girls were Reather Dixon Turner, Emma Pought, Jannie Pought, Laura Webb and Helen Gathers, were the first all-girl group to have a number 1 Doowop R&B hit and a top “10” hit with their first single “Mr. Lee.”

The group began singing together in 1956 under the name “The Harlem Queens” however, after being signed in 1957 by Atlantic Records the group changed their names to “The Bobbettes.”.

Reather loved to sing and was singing and performing until her death. The group has recorded over 50 songs.

Reather married John Turner in 1964; two children were born from this union. Reather Dixon Turner is preceded in death by her father Wilber Dixon and she is survived by her mother Elouise Dixon; her brother Murry Dixon; her sister Ruth Fripp; two daughters, Crystal Whitley-Leach, and Suzzette Miller-Blockmon Mathis; two sons-in-law, Gary Morris Leach and Robert Kelly Mathis, sister-in-law, Anne Dixon; five grandchildren, Charles John-Lee Miller, Douglas Allen Blackmon, Donte Damel Blackmon, Malik Isaiah Whitley, Sierra Reather Blackmon and a host of nieces, nephews and close friends.

Reather (Dimples) Turner was a Ray of Sunshine. She brightened the life of anyone she met, and she will be truly missed.