Frances M. Turner

Frances M. Turner was born July 2, 1927 in Great Barrington, MA. Her parents were Julius D. Miner and Grace (Abercrombie) Miner. Frances grew up in Monterey, MA and attended grammar school at Monterey Center School.

Frances graduated in 1945 from the former Searles High School in Great Barrington and graduated from Middlebury College in 1949. She enjoyed her work in the Springfield MA Library for a year. Frances married Frederick I. Turner of Egremont, MA on October 14, 1950.

Ms. Turner served as an Egremont Library Trustee, elected as Egremont Representative to Southern Berkshire Regional School Committee (3 terms), named to Massachusetts Board of Education by, then governor, Michael Dukakis (served 5 years).

Frances and her husband owned and operated Turner Farms, Inc. in South Egremont for many years. She drove a school bus for Greg Massini Bus Company for almost 30 years. She also worked as a bookkeeper at Haupt Tree Company for ten years, and later as an assistant Treasurer for the Town of Egremont.

She was an organist and choir director of South Egremont Congregational Church from 1952 until 1979. Frances served as the summer organist at Christ Church in Mt. Washington, MA from 1980 until present. She was a member of First Congregational Church in Great Barrington, MA, where she sang in the choir, and was a choir member at The Community Church in Vero Beach. She has been a part time resident of Vero Beach since 1981.

Frances accompanied her husband, Frederick, on People to People Trips to Europe, including a week in Russia in 1972, and another People to People Trip to Australia and New Zealand in 1974.

A sister, Lois Miner Moller died in 1972.

Survivors include daughter, Ann (Stanley) Jasinski; sons, William (Susan), Bruce, Paul (Carla); grandchildren, Charles Turner, Julie Doty, Jeremy (Emily) Turner, Darrell (Rebecca) Turner, Stephan (Stephanie) Jasinski, Ben and Zack Jasinski, Jenna (Joe) Ducharme, and Trevor Turner; great-grandson, Jacob Jasinski; sister-in-law, Theresa Turner; sister-in-law, Lorraine Moller; several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Egremont Fire Department, 175 Egremont Plain Rd, North Egremont, MA 01252 or Middlebury College, 14 Old Chapel Rd, Middlebury, VT 05753.

An online guestbook is available at www.lowtherfuneralhome.com.