Beth Wood Turner

DECLO - Beth Wood Turner, 93, passed away at her home in Declo surrounded by her family on Friday, May 16, 2014.

She was born in View, Idaho, on Feb. 20, 1921, to Charles Warren Wood and Martha Elizabeth Anderson. She was the third child in a family of six children, Marvel, Norman, Carvel, Peggy, and Jo Anne. During her high school years, Beth worked at the Burley Theater. She graduated from Burley High School in 1938. In 1939, she was chosen as the Cassia County Fair and Rodeo Queen. While attending Albion State Normal School, she met Lovell Turner, the love of her life and companion for the next 73 years. They were married on Nov. 8, 1940, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Beth worked as a secretary for the Idaho Bank and Trust in Burley during their early years of marriage.

As a child of the 20s and a teenager of the 30s, she formed the lifelong habits of thrift and work, “Make it if you must, save it if you can, share it when you have it, and don’t complain if you have to do without.” She was frugal, industrious, efficient, and generous. She loved pretty things, but denied her own natural beauty. She loved a clean house, anticipated the blooming of the lilacs, and planted an annual garden. She never forgot the winter of 1948 with the closed roads and snowdrifts. Her pioneer spirit and do-it-yourself attitude prevailed through tough times and good.

Beth and Lovell raised their family on the farm north of Declo. She was secretary to Harvey Steele at the Burley Junior High School and continued in that position when Lovell became principal. Both helped students, teachers, and parents in 1973, when the school was destroyed by fire. In the aftermath, they worked through different shifts, buildings, and places for approximately 900 students until the new junior high school on West 16th was completed.

In 1969, Lovell and Beth built and ran the KOA Campground. This continued for several years while they worked at the schools and farmed. Beth retired from her job at Southwest Elementary when Lovell retired. They continued to farm and enjoyed traveling, camping, fishing, and back packing in the mountains.

Beth was active in the LDS Church, serving in several callings. Reading, gardening, canning, cooking, sewing, and baking chocolate chip cookies for her grandchildren were her favorite pastimes.

Beth was preceded in death by her son, J. Garth Turner; her parents; her siblings, Norman “Wag” (Helen) Wood, Carvel (Gloria) Wood, Peggy (Bill) Critchlow, and Marvel (Vernon) Craner; one daughter-in-law, Nilene Mitchell Turner; a granddaughter, Catherine Turner; and a great-granddaughter, Mallory Beth Monroe.

Her survivors include her husband, Lovell Turner of Declo; their children, Gary (Glena) Turner of Burley, Dale Turner, Ron (Linda) Turner, and Joye (John) Simpson all of Declo; 18 grandchildren; 45 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Jo Anne (Dallas) Sandal of Tremonton, Utah.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, at the Declo LDS Stake Center, 213 W. Main St., in Declo, with Bishop Greg Osterhout officiating. Burial will be in the Declo Cemetery.

Friends may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 1 until 1:45 p.m. Wednesday at the church.

The family thanks Minidoka Home Health and Hospice for their kind and generous care prior to Mom’s passing.