East Granby Obituary: Joy Turner, 88

Joy Ruth Turner, 88, of East Granby, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 5, 2018.

Born in Boyd, MT on July 23, 1929, daughter of the late James Earl and Stella May (Goss) Starner. She was raised in Montana, went to college in Colorado and lived in Avon before moving to East Granby in 1961.

Joy graduated from the University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in library science, but spent most of her career as a licensed practical nurse. She worked as a nurse at Hartford Hospital for over 20 years until her retirement in 1995.

Joy was a longtime member of the East Granby Congregational Church where she sang in the choir and was active in many activities and groups within the life of the church. In her spare time, she enjoyed volunteering at the Allgrove School in East Granby and with Meals on Wheels.

She was an avid UConn women’s basketball fan and enjoyed attending many games. She was adventurous and traveled the globe with her friends from the East Granby Congregational Church, her sister-in-law, Mary Jane Starner and her cousin, Penny Homo.

Music was always a big part of her life and Joy sang with the Sweet Adelines touring and competing. Joy loved cardinals and angels, collecting figurines for many years.

She leaves a daughter, Dorothy Joy Dunne of Palmer, AK; three sons, Bertlen Frederick Turner, Jr. and his wife Pamela of East Granby, Bryan Lewis Turner and his wife Karen of Wrentham, MA, Randall Earl Turner of Tucson, AZ; fourteen grandchildren, Brandon McDowell, Gabrielle McDowell, Noah Shepard and his wife Elise, Ian Shepard and his wife Meagan, Kegan Shepard, Cortney Joy-Ann Sorenson and her husband Daniel, Cara Bivona and her husband Justin, Matthew Turner, Nora Belcher and her husband Rob, Rachel Joy Turner, Sean Turner, Jack Turner and his wife Rie, Frederick Turner, Nathan Turner; and seven great-grandchildren, Ashley McDowell, Eliana Shepard, Violet Shepard, Cambree Buck, Jadelin Turner, Luna Turner, and Benjamin Sorenson. She was predeceased by a brother, Frederick Earl Starner and his wife Mary Jane and a sister, Francis Starner.

Her family will receive friends on Monday, June 11, 4-7 p.m., at the Hayes-Huling & Carmon Funeral Home, 364 Salmon Brook St., Granby. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, June 12, 11 a.m., at the East Granby Congregational Church, 9 Rainbow Rd., East Granby. Interment services will follow in the East Granby Congregational Church Memorial Garden.

Joy’s family has requested that memorial contributions be made to the East Granby Congregational Church, 9 Rainbow Rd., East Granby, CT 06026.