Obituary of Sara Amelia Carpenter Turner

Funeral services for Sara Amelia Carpenter Turner, age 88, of Wedowee, will be held on Monday, July 27, 2015 at 3:00 PM at Roanoke Church of Christ building with Bro. Gerald Romine, Bro. Sam Carpenter, and Bro. Lin Turner officiating. Burial will follow at Wedowee City Cemetery with Benefield Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5:00-8:00 PM on Sunday, July 26, 2015. Mrs. Turner passed away on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at Wedowee Hospital. She will lie in state one hour prior to services beginning on Monday. Survivors include one daughter, Sara Alice Turner of Jacksonville, AL; one son, Lin Turner (wife, Joy) of Madison, AL; two grandchildren, Starr McFarland (husband, Mike) and Brandon Turner; four great-grandchildren, Gabe, Skyller, Mallory, and Michael McFarland; four sisters, Ermis Wingard of Birmingham, Sue Andress of Brewton, Ruth Childress of Roanoke, and Joyce Davis of Wedowee; and one brother, Sam Carpenter, Jr. (wife, Mary) of Wedowee. A lifelong resident of Randolph County, Mrs. Turner was born on March 23, 1927, the daughter of Samuel William Carpenter, Sr. and Effie O’Conna Washington. She attended New Hope School until eleventh grade and then graduated from Randolph County High School as valedictorian in 1945. She received a Bachelor of Science from Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn University) and a Masters of Social Work from the University of Alabama in 1980. She was a member of Roanoke Church of Christ, founder of NAMI Wedowee, principal of New Hope Christian School, and a teacher at Southern Union State Community College for many years. Mrs. Turner retired as the Director of the Alabama Department of Human Resources, and after retirement, she was a master social worker for various organizations. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 51 years, James Lee Turner; and four sisters, Louise Carpenter, Mildred Hester, Ione Herren, and Mozelle Carpenter. Memorials may be floral or the family requests contributions to Childhaven Children’s Home, Roanoke Church of Christ Missions, NAMI Wedowee, Life Choice Hospice, or the charity of one’s choice.