Eldon Turner

Eldon Wayne Turner, 88, of Anita, Iowa, passed away Wednesday, April 4, 2018, at the home he was born in and lived in his entire life. He was born April 29, 1929, to Merle Eldon and Lillian Rosella (Scholl) Turner on the century family farm owned since 1894. Eldon helped his dad on the farm when he was a young boy. Then while Eldon was in high school, his father passed away and Eldon took over running the farm with his family. He graduated from the Anita High School in 1947.

On May 10, 1951, Eldon entered the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Fort Holabird in Baltimore, Maryland, and also worked at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. He was honorably discharged on May 10, 1953.

Eldon and Mary Ann Nelson were married September 2, 1956, at the First Baptist Church in Atlantic, Iowa. They were blessed with five children to this union.

He was a member of the Cass County Pork Producers, the Anita Co-op Board, and was a 4-H leader for 10 years.

Eldon was a lifetime caregiver of the land. He raised hogs, cattle, row crops, chickens and children. He never met a dog he didn’t like and had great compassion for all animals. He raised thousands of hogs in his lifetime, something he was extremely proud of. He was a precise man, and it was reflected in his work on his family farm. He worked very hard and instilled a strong work ethic in his children. Eldon believed in conservation of the soil, and following his stroke in 2016, he diversified some of his land into the CRP prairie flowers and raised wild pheasants to release into his Pheasant Heaven.

He also loved gardening and enjoyed sharing his bounty with others and in his later years he would garden from the seat of his gator. His dogs, Buddy and Willie, loved to ride in the gator when Dad would go.

Eldon had a clever sense of humor and enjoyed playing “tricks” on unsuspecting victims. He also liked to tell jokes. A favorite was, “I like farming, Fords, dogs, country music, and Mary, but not necessarily in that order.”

After his first heart attack, the doctor told him to get a hobby so he began carving beautiful decoy ducks and making barn board cupboards. He learned to be resourceful and could make something out of just about anything.

Traveling to out of the way places and taking pictures as he went were some of his passions. In the 1960s he renovated a school bus and we spent many summers taking it to the Ozarks. He would often drive late into the night, so we would have more time to see the sights the next day.

He and Mary shared a respect for family heritage and history and enjoyed collecting antiques and decorating with them. He loved his home, where he was born and raised, and planned and built several additions to it. He liked to sit in “his chair” and read the paper or watch old westerns. He had a lifetime love of John Wayne

Over the years, many young men were employed by Eldon on the farm. They worked hard, but also had fun and learned skills that stayed with them for a lifetime.

He was a tough and stubborn human being, who was also fair and compassionate. He enjoyed helping others and was generous and charitable. He was also a strong person and he never complained about how his body was failing him.

Preceding Eldon in death were his parents; son-in-law, Wray Carroll; brother, Gail Turner; and sister, Joyce Dunkin.

Those surviving Eldon are his wife, Mary Turner of Anita; children, Royce (friend, Debra Noles) Turner of Exira, IA, Dawn (Paul) Harder of Hancock, IA, Brooke (Pallin) Turner of Clarinda, IA, Jyl Turner of Griswold, IA, Ann Carroll of Avoca, IA; grandchildren, Nevada, Cordell and Chance Turner; Kelsey, Courtney and Cole Harder; Jacob and Tara Waters; and Garrett, Delaney and Erin Carroll; special daughter, Suzanne Dodson-Andrew of Grand Junction, CO; brother, Lynn (Angie) Turner of Casey, IA; sister-in-law, Gloria Turner of Anita, IA; special lifelong friend, Harriet Alff; step grandchildren and step great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation with family will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Friday, April 6, 2018, at Hockenberry Family Care in Anita, Iowa.

The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 7, 2018, also at Hockenberry Funeral Home in Anita, Iowa. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Anita, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials go to the family to be designated at a later date.

Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Anita, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.