William R. Turner passed away peacefully at home on Friday, July 13. He was born on August 21, to William A. and Kathryn Turner in Danville, Virginia. He graduated from George Washington High School in Danville in 1966. The following year he enrolled at the Ringley School of Art in Sarasota, FL, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in May of 1971.
Rod was hired as a staff artist for the Daily Press Newspaper in Newport News in January of 1972, where he won many awards at the Virginia Press Association, including the Daily Press’ first Best in Show Award at the Virginia Press Association Creative Ad Conference in Richmond in 1975. He transferred to the sales staff in 1974 where he won employee of the month several times before taking early retirement in 2000.

After leaving the Daily Press, Rod drove a school bus for Newport News for 13 years. Many of those years with perfect attendance. He loved driving—he drove the trams at Busch Gardens, the golf carts at the Ferguson Center and church buses or vans when needed.

He loved sports, especially bowling and bowled on several leagues during his lifetime. Until six months before his death, he bowled with the Night Owls, a senior league in York County. For several years, he was a member of the Tidal Waves Square Dance Club, where he served as Vice President and President.
Rod met Gerry Beale at First United Methodist Church in Hampton. The church was always an important part of his life. He helped with the youth ministry, ushered, served on various committees and shared his artistic talent whenever he could. Rod loved God and served and worshipped God all his life.

Rod married the love of his life on August 23, 1998. They spent the first 23 years of married life in the Brandon Heights neighborhood in Newport News then in 2022 moved to Poquoson. He was very proud of his family and is survived by his wife of 25 years, Gerry Beale Turner; a son, Matthew Farris and wife, Roseanna of St. Lucie, FL; daughters, Rella Farris and husband, Shawn Allen of Portsmouth and Mary Farris of Dare; grandchildren, Dylan Girvin of Gloucester, Mason Girvin and wife, Lily Boyd of Hampton, Miguel Campos of Farmville, Ashley Farris and mother, Jennifer Cowdrey of Fargo, ND, and Victoria Farris of Dare.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Sunday, July 21 at 2:00 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 228 29th Street, Newport News, VA.