William “Bill” P. Turner, 88, of Ashmore, formerly of Sorento, died on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020, at 3:30 a.m. at his residence.
Visitation will be held Saturday, Nov. 28, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Perfetti-Assalley Funeral Home in Sorento. Per CDC guidelines, only ten guests at a time may visit the family, and masks will be required. A funeral ceremony for the family will follow, beginning at 1 p.m. at the funeral home with the Rev. Rudy Elam officiating. Private family burial rites will be held at Sunnyside Cemetery in Sorento at a later date.
Mr. Turner was born Oct. 3, 1932, in Sorento, to Clarence and Ida Francis (Jordan) Turner, Sr. He married Evelyn Bentley on Oct. 4, 1968, in White Hall, and she preceded him in death on May 28, 2001.
He graduated from Central High School in St. Louis, MO, and went on to serve his country in the U.S. Navy. Following multiple tours of duty during the Korean and Vietnam wars, he retired after 20 years of service.
After his retirement from the Navy, Mr. Turner worked as a professional cook for many establishments, including Colonial Williamsburg, Longhorn Steakhouse, Gold Circle Nutrition in Litchfield and Greenville College.
He was a past member of the Sorento Baptist Church, Panama Baptist Church, and was instrumental in establishing the Colton Baptist Church. He also helped in organizing Illinois Disaster Relief.
Mr. Turner’s passion was cooking. He enjoyed tearing up and rewriting recipes to perfect them, and he enjoyed cooking various types of cuisine.
He is survived by his sons, Vernon C. (wife Cindy) Turner of Manhattan, KS, William H. Turner of Jacksonville, FL, Daniel P. (wife Carly) Turner of Beardsford, SD, and John D. Turner of Scotland; ten grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; siblings, Alfred Turner and Bertha Courtney, both of St. Louis, MO, and Virginia Moore of Goose Creek, MO; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Turner was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Theresa Turner; and brother, Clarence Turner, Jr.
Online condolences to the family may be left at www.assalleyfuneralhomes.com.
