Mary Kathleen Turner June 2, 1947 - November 10, 2014

Mary Kathleen Turner passed away peacefully on Monday morning, November 10, 2014.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, the oldest of 3 children born to Roger and Mary Turner, Mary grew up in Arcadia, California, and graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She later moved to Newport Beach, California, where she became an active member of her neighborhood and the Orange County community.

Mary’s many interests led to careers in teaching, video production, real estate investment and property management, photography, and writing. She was an avid patron of the arts as well as a talented artist herself. She was the lead in plays, sang in chorale groups and choirs, painted beautifully, and paired her poetry with her award winning photographs. Mary was a published author who studied with former U.S. Poet Laureate, Billy Collins.

Mary will be greatly missed by her many friends. She opened her clubhouse home to a dynamic group who traveled the world, played bridge, poker and Nerts, invested together, avidly read, and were always full of laughter and fun.

Mary’s most cherished role was that of Mom. She was proud of facing the challenges and delighted by the joys of being a single mother. Mary lost her beloved daughter Meggin Kate to a brain tumor before her 11th birthday. She faced life’s ups and downs with her best friend and daughter, Amanda Alicia. The two had a special bond, and Mary treasured their adventures together.

Mary is survived and deeply loved by her daughter, Amanda McDorman Johnson (Kevin) and granddaughter on the way, sister Alicia Turner Foster (Charles) and brother Rusty Turner (Mary Lynn). She is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Dave Foster, Kent Turner (Jacqueline), Laura Foster Robinson (Richard), Marie Turner Carson (Donnie) and Emily Turner Barker (Derreck).

A Celebration of Mary’s life is planned for Saturday, November 15, from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Bayview room of the Balboa Bay Club, 1221 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach, CA 92663.

In lieu of flowers, please send flowers to your own Mom and cherish your time together. If you’d like to make a memorial donation to the Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) in Mary’s name, you may send it to www.theaftd.org or via mail to AFTD, Radnor Station Building 2, Suite 320, 290 King of Prussia Road. Radnor, PA 19087

God bless her. May she rest in peace.