As a young man, George Turner set high goals for himself. One of 12 children, he determined to put himself through undergraduate study at the University of Virginia, and then through the university’s law school. After graduation upon passing the bar, he practiced law for a few years, then entered government service. Throughout the century that he lived, he constantly was fascinated with learning.
Aside from his legal career, George wanted to master other fields as well. He particularly wanted to know how to build a home for himself and his wife, Virginia. In those days before the internet made such a pursuit a bit simpler, he set out reading all that he could to become proficient in construction. This pursuit was parallel to his legal career.
Before retiring, he and Virginia bought a piece of property near Burgess, and his plans began to become reality. He designed a one-floor ranch house with a car port to one side. Next came the physical work of digging the footings and pouring the concrete foundation. From there he had the bricks and cinderblocks delivered and he began laying them, followed by installing the floor joists, studs and rafters to complete the framework. Next, he laid every brick in the exterior four walls.
George was extremely patient, rushing nothing to completion until the project had met the rigid standard he set for himself at each step along the way. Slowly the house took shape. At every inspection, the building inspector approved his work without modifications or corrections, complimenting George on the quality of his workmanship. He did all the plumbing, electrical, sheetrock and roofing that followed. Several years after the project had gotten underway, with his certificate of occupancy in hand, George and Virginia happily moved into their new home.
Once back to George’s roots here in the Northern Neck, the Turners began their signature charitable project for which they became known and respected across the area, namely the care for and rescue of stray cats. They fostered numerous feral cats, adopting some and working to find homes for others. They did not have children and they made themselves available to step in to help whenever needed to care for abandoned cats of all ages. They took them for veterinary care, made sure they had nourishing food and, most of all, let the little felines know that they were loved.
As the years passed, they decided that they should move to Kilmarnock to be closer to medical care and local stores. Virginia developed dementia and George set a new goal for himself, namely her care in their home, which became his full-time occupation, again, done with his usual attention to detail, being certain that she received the best care possible.
In the 40-odd years that I knew them, I never saw George in public without his wearing a necktie, sport coat, highly polished shoes and his ever-present fedora. In his attire, George liked casual formality, to coin a phrase. After Virginia died, George returned full-time to caring for stray cats. I last saw him a year ago in the pet food aisle of Tri-Star Supermarket, stocking up on upper-end cat food.
In the conversation that ensued, he mentioned a new, and final, goal in his life, specifically to live until January 1, 2024, as he wanted his tombstone to read “1924 – 2024.” In that effort, he not only met the year, but his birthday as well, dying last month at the age of 100 and two days.
Indeed, George was goal-oriented for the entirety of his long life. In the many pursuits of his life, he strove to be the best that he could be. He never tired of educating himself and he remembered everything that he learned. For our time, George was his own Renaissance Man.
George Turner, July 24, 1924 – July 26, 2024. R.I.P.
