Bill Turner

Like a river, life moves in steady currents, carving its way through time and memory, shaping everything it touches. For 87 years, Bill Turner moved with that current, and on January 29, 2025, Bill’s journey reached its final bend as he drifted into the eternal in the comfort of his home in rural Palestine, IL.

Bill was born on June 28, 1937, in his grandparents’ house on Lamotte Street in Palestine, and from the start, his life was anything but settled. His father worked as a farmhand, and the family moved from place to place, planting roots just long enough for them to be pulled up again. It wasn’t until the family settled closer to town that he was able to attend school in Palestine, where he graduated in 1956 (a year later than planned, a fact he’d chalk up to them “holding back the dumb kids!” ).

After a brief stint driving a gas truck in Indianapolis, Bill returned home to work for Russell Fitzpatrick. But it was on January 1, 1958, when he married Moonyeen Bowman, that his life truly took root. Together, they took on the operation of her father’s gravel pit—a legacy they would carry forward as Turner Sand & Gravel , shaping the land much like the river shaped the banks of the Wabash.

Still, for all his years shaping the earth, Bill felt most at home where the water ran free. The river was his sanctuary, the place where work could wait and time slowed down. There, fish fries turned into long evenings with good company. He loved nothing more than floating down the Wabash, cutting the motor and letting the current take him where it pleased—just so long as he stayed in the boat. (Bill was many things, but a man who would share the river with a snake was not one of them!)

True to his nature, he never hesitated to lend a hand, helping his neighbors at the river lift their cabins and trailers to withstand the floods. (Ironically, in a miscalculation he never lived down, his own cabin wasn’t quite high enough to stay dry.) He was, as one friend put it, “the anchor man,” the one people turned to when something needed fixing, lifting, or simply figuring out. He could fabricate just about anything in his shop, and if something wouldn’t start, well—he’d give it “a good peck.” Nine times out of ten, that did the trick! His towering grill at the river was a testament to his craftsmanship—just like the big blue sled he built, a simple creation that transformed the gravel pit into a playground for his grandkids. He’d hitch it up and pull them around, their laughter echoing over the sand piles and through the trees.

If you ever stopped by his place, you’d likely find him in front of the TV, Wheel of Fortune or an old black-and-white Western blaring at a volume that could rattle the windows! And if the TV wasn’t drowning you out, the scanner was—he never missed a bit of local goings on, and when the police took their channel off, he simply turned his ear to fire and rescue. Between the roar of the television, the crackle of the scanner, and the steady hum of family and friends, silence was a rare visitor in Bill’s home—but his love for people was louder still.

Bill was a good man, a generous friend, and a steady anchor in the lives of so many. Just as the river carries on, so will the stories, the laughter, and the echoes of a life well-lived. Bill may be gone from our sight, but like a current shapes the shore, his love and his legacy remain.

Bill leaves behind Moonyeen Turner (Palestine, IL); his daughter, Stacy Turner (Palestine, IL); his grandchildren & their spouses, Daron & Rhonda Turner (St. Joseph, IL), Devin “Opie” & Jennifer Turner (Robinson, IL), Jessie Polk & Chuck Campbell (Robinson, IL), Michiala & Adam Wallace (Oblong, IL), and Allyson & Austin Fullerton (Oblong, IL); several great-grandchildren; his brother, Darrell Turner (Palestine, IL); his nephew, Matt & wife Tara Turner (Robinson, IL); and his companion, Betty Mills (Palestine, IL). He was preceded in death by his parents, John W. Turner & Maxine (Leggitt) Turner; his “golden child,” Dusty Turner; his grandsons, Brandon Fear and Derek Turner; his great-grandchildren, Luca, Emerson, and Canaan Turner; his sister, Patricia Hall; and his nephew, Wes Turner.

A time of visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 1st, at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Palestine, with a service to follow at 1:00 p.m. Celebrant Curt Goodwine will officiate, and friends and family will have the opportunity to share their memories as part of the service. For those unable to attend, a live stream of the service will be available at www.goodwinefuneralhomes.com/live-stream/live-stream .

Burial will take place at Oak Grove Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the organization of the donor’s choice, and memorial envelopes will be available at the funeral home.