Thomas Noel Turner

Tom grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and was a graduate of the University of Cincinnati where he earned his B.S. in Elementary Education in 1963. He went on to attend The Pennsylvania State University, where he earned his M.S. and Ed.D. in Elementary Education in 1971. He was a nationally known scholar in Social Science Education, serving as a Professor in the Theory and Practice of Education at the University of Tennessee. Tom worked at the University of Knoxville from 1970 to 2015, where he taught classes on educational methods, storytelling, and drama. He directed more than 50 doctoral dissertations. He also directed the Lyndhurst Program, an alternative teacher education program for nontraditional students from 1987 to 2002. He also coordinated the doctoral program in Theory and Practice in Teacher Education for over 10 years. He spoke at national conferences, wrote over 100 journal articles and book chapters, and authored more than 6 manuscripts, including 2 children’s books, The Hillbilly Night Afore Christmas and A Country Music Night Before Christmas.

Tom was also a talented musician, who studied at the conservatory of music in Cincinnati. He served as the music and choir director of Bookwalter United Methodist Church from 1988 until 1996. He was an avid reader and owned more than 30,000 books. He was a Sherlock Holmes aficionada, a collector of all manner of memorabilia, and a lover of good puns. He was also a caring husband to the love of his life, his wife of 34 years, Nancy. He was a loving father to his three children and a nurturing grandfather to his 5 grandchildren.

Tom is preceded in death by his daughter Noelle Turner, his parents Noel and Ethel Turner, and his aunts Beatrice, Ruby, Jewel, and uncle Charlie who helped raise him. His memory will be cherished by his wife, Nancy Hickman Turner, his children Michael Turner and Nathaniel Turner, his daughters-in-laws, Stephanie Turner and Remola Turner, and his grandchildren, Tessa Nadia Turner, Leia Rose Turner, Scarlet Alana Turner, Ella Noelle Turner, and Macon Noel Turner.

Family will receive friends at Berry’s Funeral Home, 3704 Chapman Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920 on Saturday December 30, 2023, from 12-1 P.M, with a service following at 1:00 PM. The funeral service will also be streamed on Facebook live https://www.facebook.com/BerryFuneralHome/. A graveside service will be held at a later date.