Noelle Katherine Turner, 49, of Maryville, TN passed away from metastatic breast cancer on Sunday, June 25, 2023, at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. Noelle was born on February 7, 1974, to Frances Turner Pressley and Dr. Thomas N. Turner. She was an exceptional student, graduating summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee with a B.S. in biology in 1997 and a M.A. in education in 1998. She was a gifted science teacher who loved her students dearly. She taught biology and physical science at Bearden High School for 21 years and a year at Halls High School. She loved ocean life and developed and taught a class on marine ecology. She twice received the teacher-of-the-year award, served on several committees, and worked with the Science Olympiad teams for many years. One of her proudest accomplishments was working as an educator-at-sea for the EV Nautilus during the 2012 and 2013 expeditions to Turkey and the Gulf of Mexico. In this role, she interacted with the public through live video feed and wrote blogs and posted pictures about the exploration experiences. Noelle was one of the kindest and most generous human beings this world has ever known. She readily provided a listening ear and help to anyone who needed her. She tried to make her classroom a safe and welcoming space for all her students. She was an attentive and loving daughter and sister, who helped nurture her father and mother through health crises. She loved her nieces and nephew dearly and was their “Aunt Nono,” babysitting often and never missing a birthday party. Her memory will be cherished by her parents Thomas N. Turner and Nancy Turner, Frances Turner Pressley and Dan Pressley, her brothers, Michael Turner and Nathaniel Turner, her sisters-in-law, Stephanie Turner and Remola Turner, and her adoring nieces and nephew, Ella Noelle Turner, Tessa Nadia Turner, Leia Rose Turner, Scarlet Alana Turner, and Macon Noel Turner, and her partner, Scott Sellars. at Berry’s Funeral Home, 37204 Chapman Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to https://gofund.me/cf2d43fb for help with medical expenses. Funeral service will be Friday June 30, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at Berry Funeral Home 3704 Chapman Hwy. The service will be live streamed on Berry Funeral Home Facebook page. Condolences may be offered at www.berryfuneral.com
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