Myra Joy Turner

Myra Joy Turner passed away on November 10, 2022, at age 89. Born May 28, 1933, to Julia Kasper and Myron Kirkhart in Charleston, Illinois. She grew up in Taylorville, Illinois, where she helped her parents with their movie theater business. After graduating from Taylorville High School, she attended the University of Miami. Following her best friend and Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority sister to Dallas, she met her future husband at a Texas/OU party. Lovell M. Turner, Jr. and Myra Joy had three children, Michael, Patrick and Gary and raised them in the Park Cities. She adored the name her grandchildren gave her, “Muddy.” Myra Joy enjoyed vacationing on the Galveston beach, weekends at the farm, hunting and fishing with her family, and especially, cooking all manner of family meals. She attended all Y-games, swim meets and track meets. Myra Joy worked at the family real estate firm, J. Elmer Turner, Realtors Inc., “temporarily” for 18 years until Lovell got ill. The Turner house was a “home base” for her sons’ friends and fraternity brothers; she looked forward to hosting guests for TX/OU and the Cotton Bowl each year. Myra Joy’s warm smile and gentle, graceful nature was coupled with a strong and unyielding will.

Myra Joy was preceded in death by her parents, Julia and Myron Kirkhart; her sister, Victoria Hamilton; her husband of 42 years, Lovell Turner, Jr., her companion of 12 years, Ralph Harrison and grandson, Tye Parrish. She is survived by her children: son, Michael, (Elizabeth) and grandchildren Lauren, Logan, Cal, Elle and Olivia; son, Patrick (Nancy), their daughters, Abby Joy and Madeline (Mark), and great-grandchildren, Maximus and Marlow; son Gary; brother-in-law Joel Hamilton and his wife, Amy, nieces Sabrina Quenet (Joe) and Anastasia Hamilton, Turner nieces and nephews Damon, Angela, Pamela and Bryan; Peters nieces and nephews Christopher, David, Dede, Elizabeth and Charlie and numerous lifelong friends.

Myra Joy had requested that donations be made to the Scleroderma Foundation, the Wounded Warriors Project or organization of your choice.

Visitation Wednesday, November 16, 5-7 p.m. at Sparkman Hillcrest. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Christ the King Catholic Church (8017 Preston Road, Dallas) on Thursday, November 17, at 11:00 a.m.; interment to follow at Grove Hill Memorial Park.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the Turner family.