William Roscoe Turk III

Charlotte, North Carolina - Mr. Turk, 77, passed away on September 16th, 2021, after a mercifully brief bout with cancer. He was born on October 24th, 1943, in Los Angeles, CA, a son of the late William and Joan Glover Turk; and husband to his beloved late wife, Karen Kane Turk.

Bill was born in California but lived all over the United States and in Germany while his father was in the Air Force. He attended Stetson University and then the University of Florida, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering. Upon graduation, he accepted a position with Lockheed in Atlanta, where he contributed to the development of the C-130 Hercules and the C-5 Galaxy. While living in Atlanta, he was introduced to Karen Kane by a mutual friend. They were married in July of 1967.

After completing the C5 project, Bill took a leave of absence to pursue a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Aerospace engineering jobs were scarce at that time, so Bill looked at industries where his MBA would be beneficial. This led him to First Union National Bank in Charlotte. The analytical skills he honed as an engineer made him a valuable asset, and he rose in the ranks of the credit department. During his tenure, First Union became one of the largest and most respected banks in the United States. He retired at the age of 55.

Bill was an avid outdoorsman, car enthusiast, pit mechanic, carpenter, and could fix anything if he put his mind to it. Above all, he was a loving and supportive husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

Bill is survived by his children, William Turk and Elizabeth Turk Purdie and her husband Matthew; his grandchildren: Quinn and Kathryn Turk, and Caroline, Sarah and Hannah Purdie; and his brother, James Turk.

The service to honor and celebrate his life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, October 16th at Matthews Presbyterian Church, 207 W. John St., Matthews. Masks are required.

The family will receive friends following the service at an outdoor reception, weather permitting.

The service will be streamed live on the Matthews Presbyterian Church Facebook feed.

Memorial contributions may be made to Habitat for Humanity.