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July 28, 1943 – Nov. 5, 2014

FAYETTE — Services for the Rev. Percy Turner, 71, of Fayette, who died Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, at Promise Hospital in Vicksburg, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Jefferson County Tri-Plex School, 468 Mississippi 33 in Fayette, with the Rev. Earnest Ford Sr. officiating.

Burial will follow at the Pine Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Stampley under the direction of Spencer Funeral Home in Fayette.

Visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home and from 10 a.m. until service time Saturday at the school.

Rev. Turner was born July 28, 1943, in Fayette, the son of Warren Turner Sr. and Rosie Carradine Turner.

He as fondly known as “Man” by his siblings because he was always very mature for his age and a self-starter. At an early age, he accepted Christ as his personal savior and was baptized at the Pine Grove Baptist Church. He was a dedicated member who served as a choir member, superintendent of the Sunday school and deacon prior to coming the pastor.

Rev. Turner was a smart young man and loved to read. Being one of the older children, Percy left high school his junior year to help provide financial support for his younger siblings. He took on odd jobs and had a natural sense of trade in carpentry.

On Sept. 7, 1963, he married his sweetheart and soulmate, Hilda Moore. To this union three children were born, Vincent, Brenda and Tammie. He was a great provider and a father who truly believed in the scripture, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Rev. Turner worked a number of jobs as a dry cleaner operator and carpenter. He was a long time employee of Letourneau Industries in Vicksburg where he worked as a painter and sandblaster. Through all of his manual labor, Percy answered his call into the ministry in 1973.

After being in the ministry for six months, Rev. Percy Turner was elected to his first church, Taylor Chapel. Shortly after, he was elected pastor of Gold Mount, Smithland, Pine Grove, Bethlehem, Greenleaf and Shiloh. Pastoring more than 1,000 members, Rev. Turner always had time to give love and attention to those for spiritual feeding, healing prayers and counseling. Some of his most memorable sermons were: “You Try God-I’ll Try Mine,” “The God We Serve Is Able,” “What Time It Is” and “They All Forsaken Him.”

In addition to pastoring, Rev. Turner served as chaplain for the Jefferson-Franklin Correctional Facility and Crime Stoppers.

Throughout his lifetime, Rev. Turner received a number of awards and honors. Among his most notable awards he cherished the most were his 2013 Civil Rights Activist Award and an honorary doctorate in theology from A.P. Clay Christian Theological Bible College in 2014.

He will now join the Turner clan and will be greeted with open arms by his father and mother; sisters, Ruby Lee Clark and Helen Turner; and brothers, Mose, Warren Jr., Earnest, James and Jerry Turner.

Rev. Turner will be missed by every life he touched, especially by his wife and love of his life for 51 years, Hilda Moore Turner; three children, Vincent Turner and Brenda Lashay Turner-Buck, both of Fayette, and Tammie Faye Turner Donelson and husband, Moir, of Irmo, S.C.; 13 grandchildren and jewels of his eyes, Percy Ventrell, Vincent Delon, Ashlymn Nicole, Amber Reneé, Haley Ventreace, Brittany Kervaun, Brandy Kershawn, Dea’Breaun Vinshae, Colin Joseph, Tyrese Deshawn, Coby Pierce, Jadyn Elyssc and Zoe Nocelle; great-grandson, Haiden Ar’Mani; great-niece, Shaletha Shanta Johnson and husband, Darryl, of Fayette; goddaughter, Jessica Quianna Hunter of Fayette; special nephew, Alfred Marketric Turner of Jackson; five brothers, Will T. Turner Sr. and wife, Florence, and Robert Willye Turner and wife, Jean, all of Fayette, William Turner, Aaron Turner and wife, Linda, and Nathan Turner and wife, Jackie, all of New Orleans; three sisters, Rosie Lee Turner, Lou Etta Jackson and husband, Stonewall, and Shirley Oliver and husband, James, all of Fayette; two aunts, Mildred Graves and Clara Reed; one uncle, John Carradine; daughter-in-law, Debra Turner; son-in-law, Vincent Buck; brothers-in-law, Alonzo Moore and wife, Alena, James Moore and wife, Lucy, and Charles Moore and wife, Earlie; sisters-in-law, Matteal Shaw, Mary White, Corrie Lee Hunt, Irene Turner and Leotine Turner; and he will be missed by a number of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.