Turner, Geneva Perry

Geneva P. Turner, sunrise September 23, 1915, sunset May 18, 2006. On Thursday, May 18, 2006, God summoned his blessed servant, Mother Geneva P. Turner, to her eternal rest.

Geneva P. Turner was born to the late James (Uncle Jim) and Estelle (Della) Perry on September 23, 1915 in Radford, Virginia. The youngest of five children, she received her formal education in the Radford school system. She was the widow of the late Frank Turner, brothers, Harry and Cornelius Hoskins, Leroy and Roscoe Perry predeceased Mother Turner.

A lifelong member of First Baptist Church, Radford, Va., Sister Turner resided in Great Neck, N.Y. for twenty years, where she also worshipped (In watch-care) at Saint Paul’s AME Zion Church. During the time at St. Paul’s Sister Turner served as Chair of Women’s Day for five years and for four additional years as Chair of the building committee.

Upon her return to Radford, Sister Turner became active as a member of First Baptist Church. Sister Turner has served on the Women’s Day Committee, Usher Board and Missionary Society and in 1994 Sister Turner was designated as “Mother of the Church” First Baptist Church.

Mother Turner leaves as survivors, a son, the Rev. Howard L. Sheffey, Schenectady, N.Y.; a daughter, Barbara Brown, Radford; a niece, Barbara Perry Latten, Radford; three nephews, James, Donald and Ray Perry, Columbus, Ohio; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The grandchildren are Debra Hendricks, Radford, Karen L. Rose and Gregory Patton, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Russell Patton, Las Vegas, Nevada , Stacy Sheffey, Kelley Sheffey and Renee Sheffey-Brown, Brooklyn, N.Y.; great-grandchildren are, Lamar Hendricks, Dublin, Va., Jonathan and Nicole Rose, Rancho Cucamonga and Michael Sheffey, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Mother Turner has left a legacy of strong parenting, love of GOD, love for each other and serving GOD through serving our neighbors.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 1730 West Street, Radford, Va. The family will be receiving callers from noon to 1 p.m. Burial will be at the Sunrise Burial Park Fairlawn, Va. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Mother Turner’s honor to the “New Building Fund” of First Baptist Church. Arrangements by Penn’s Funeral Home.