Charles Louis "Chuck" Turner

Charles Louis "Chuck" Turner, age 59, passed away Monday, July 15, 2013 at St. Patrick's Hospital in Missoula after giving his liver cancer a heck of a fight. He was surrounded by family, and during his illness, felt the love of his family and friends near and far.

A viewing will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 19 at Garden City Funeral Home in Missoula, with a vigil to follow at 7:00 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at St. Francis Xavier Church in Missoula on Saturday, July 20 at 10:30 a.m. Garden City Funeral Home will be handling all Missoula arrangements.

A memorial service will also be held in Shelby on Monday, July 22, at 11:00 a.m. at Whitted Funeral Chapel, with an internment to follow at the Mountainview Cemetery. Whitted Funeral Chapel will be handling all Shelby arrangements.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy, daughters Robin Turner and Veronica Mietz, son-in-law Joshua Mietz, sisters Marsha (Bill) Moen and family and Barbara (Larry) Arthur and family, Bill Woon and family, and numerous family and friends.

Chuck was born October 3, 1953 in Shelby, Montana, to Robert Louis and Zelma (Doran) Turner. He graduated from Shelby High School in 1972, collecting many honors, including "Outstanding Lineman" of the 1971 football team. Chuck also met the love of his life, Kathy Turner, at SHS. Their first date was the 1968 Homecoming dance. They've been together ever since, married December 27, 1975. Chuck and Kathy were to celebrate their 38th wedding anniversary in December.

Chuck attended undergraduate and law school at the University of Montana, earning his J.D. in 1979, and moving to Shelby immediately after. Chuck worked with his father at Turner Agency, Inc., and took over the business in 1981. He ran the business for nearly 32 years. Chuck was a Shelby community leader, involved in the following: Shelby Development Corporation, N.E.T.A., Chamber of Commerce President, Marias Valley Golf and Country Club, and Kiwanis International, serving as Shelby's club president and Lt. Governor.

Chuck and Kathy moved to Missoula in 2002 where he worked for Payne Financial Group as general counsel until his death. In Missoula, Chuck was a member of the Sentinel Kiwanis, the Missoula Symphony Board of Directors, the advisory board of Missoula Catholic Schools, and the Helena Diocesan Finance Council. He was a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic parish.

Chuck was an expert card player, fine woodworker, teller of great stories and jokes, and the man who always had the best advice. He was the man who would comfortably sit in the back corner of the party, doling out one-liners and observations of human nature. Lucky was the person who got to sit by him at that party. He lived for the Yankees, and wrote their record on a baseball cap purchased at the beginning of each season. Chuck was a deeply devoted and supportive husband and father. He loved spending time with family most of all. He cherished vacations all over the country and in Montana's great outdoors. Chuck and Kathy also enjoyed many weekends at the "habin" they built on the shores of Bull Lake.

To know Chuck was to love him. He taught his friends not to take themselves too seriously through his own self-deprecating nature. His incredible courage, optimism, gentle nature, sometimes-appropriate jokes, and intelligence attracted so many to him. During the last 9 months, Chuck took the opportunity to travel to Hawaii, Colorado, Washington, Arizona, Glacier National Park, and the Habin with his family.

Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Zelma Turner, and sister Susan Woon.

In lieu of flowers, memorials should be directed to the Missoula Symphony Orchestra, Marias Medical Center Auxiliary and the Toole County Education Foundation.


Read Charles Turner's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.