Gerald "Jerry" Douglas Turner

Born October 14, 1938, in Charlottesville, Virginia, he graduated from Fluvanna County High School in Palmyra, Virginia in 1957. He married his high school sweetheart Betty on April 4, 1958 and they moved to Richmond, Virginia where they had Melissa and Bo. Jerry served for six years in the U.S. Army National Guard (Active Duty and Reserves). Like his father, he worked for the railroad. He was a train dispatcher, starting with the B&O/C&O Railroad which changed to Chessie System and then CSX Railroad. In 1966, Jerry was transferred to Glen Burnie, Maryland where he enjoyed raising his family. As an active church member and deacon, he and Betty developed many close friendships within the churches in Maryland and Florida. Jerry was a member of the Annapolis Masonic Lodge and the Moose Lodge in Glen Burnie and Merritt Island. He enjoyed many activities including softball, basketball, bowling, fishing and hunting. As an active father, he was always there for his kids watching them play sports, taking them on trips and just hanging out. Jerry had a couple of heart attacks and went on disability at age 40. Throughout all of his health issues, he had that special spirit to keep going and enjoy life and help people. In late 2001, Jerry and Betty moved to Merritt Island, Florida to be near their daughter and grandchildren. He was so happy to have grandchildren and loved to play with them and was always there to watch them in sports or events. He especially enjoyed his time on the water fishing and boating with them. Throughout his life, Jerry maintained long lasting friendships and thoroughly enjoyed being a father and grandfather. He was known as Grandpa to most in his Florida community as well as “Big Jer” to Bo’s lacrosse family. He loved to meet and talk to people and we will all miss his laughter and humor. Funeral services will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, June 1st, 2019 at Sheridan Funeral Home, 4626 Cedar Lane Road, Kents Store, Virginia. Interment will follow at Memorial Baptist Cemetery in Columbia, Virginia. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the funeral. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorial contributions be made to First Baptist Church of Cape Canaveral or StickWithUs.org.