Obituary: Rev. G. Thomas Turner Sr., Baptist Pastor and Community Leader, Dies at 77

Pastor G. Thomas Turner, Sr., age 77, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, passed away on Wednesday, October 8, 2014, at Mount Carmel East Hospital. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, on December 25, 1936. Turner received his formal education from the Columbus Public School System and graduated from East High School in 1955. During his high school years, he was a member of the track team and held records in the mile relay and 880 relay, where the team won District and City championships.

Turner earned his Bachelor of Theology degree from Virginia Seminary and College in Lynchburg, Virginia. He also received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Baltimore College of the Bible in Maryland and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Virginia Seminary. Additionally, he attended Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and Shenandoah Bible College in Roanoke, Virginia.

Throughout his career, Turner held various leadership roles within Baptist organizations. He was a former President and Board Member of Isabelle Ridgeway Nursing Center, an instructor in the National Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress, and a Board Member of the Lott Carey Foreign Missions Convention. He also served as a former Moderator of the Eastern Union Missionary Baptist Association and Auxiliaries, Inc., and as a Member of the Board of Directors of the R.H. Boyd Corporation and National Baptist Publishing Board.

Turner was a founding member of The Brothers of the Common Life, where he was referred to as “Dean.” He was inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, in February 1992. His pastoral experiences included serving at Macedonia Baptist Church in Cambridge, Ohio; Ebenezer Baptist Church in Kingston, Virginia; Mount Shiloh Baptist Church in Monroe, Virginia; First Baptist Church in Hollins, Virginia; and Maple Street Baptist Church in Roanoke, Virginia. His last pastorate was at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio, where he served for 41 years.

Turner was an avid sports fan and a financial supporter of The Ohio State University Athletics Program. He also supported the Cleveland Browns, the Boston Celtics, and the New York Yankees. He is survived by his wife, Roberta F. Turner, Ph.D.; son, George T. Turner, Jr.; daughter, Patrice E. Turner, Ed.D.; grandson, Seth; sister, Martha (Richard) Harmon; niece, Trina (John) Branham; nephew, Gary (Tracy) Harmon; many cousins; “special” children: Pat Dawkins and the Rev. Dr. Alyn (Dr. Ellyn) Waller; and the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church family.

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