Obituary of George Turley

George Turley’s life was like a series of winning bingo cards. He was born into and perpetuated a loving family, he was admired and appreciated by friends and colleagues and he outlived two women who truly loved him.Born in Mechanicsburg, Illinois on March 21, 1919 to Thomas and Bertha McCrosky Turley, George was the first of two sons. He grew up with his brother Turk (Byron J.) in an upbringing that forged high character and enduring friendship despite limitations placed on the family by the Great Depression.George graduated from Springfield High School then served for two years with the CCC. In August, 1941 he enlisted in the Army Air Corp. One of the stories he likes to tell about that period is convincing his commander to sponsor a Christmas dinner for the entire squadron and their wives at Will Rogers Field. He got praise from many and great satisfaction for pulling together that event. To this day, George’s family bakes his recipe for the Christmas fruitcake that he prepared for the squadron.Immediately reenlisting, his organizational skills gained notice and he was assigned to Headquarters SAC. In 1947 the Army Air Corp became the Air Force, and George earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration through Operation Bootstrap. George retired from the Air Force in 1968.In 1941 the Detroit Free Press sponsored an Adopt a Yank program and Dodie (Desda) Terry joined with other young women at the Detroit Edison Electric Company in sending Christmas packages to random soldiers. George got Dodie’s package, filled with home-baked cookies and candies, some stationary and a Zippo lighter. After a period of correspondence, he decided to get on the train and go meet her. They were married within a year, on December 1, 1942.George and Dodie, and eventually their three sons, lived in nine locations ranging from Oklahoma City to Fairbanks, with stops in Florida, Washington D. C., Nebraska, California, Newfoundland, California, Mississippi, and California again. At almost every post and into his retirement, George got involved somehow in Little League baseball. Not a great player, but with great belief in the game (which he mostly learned from Dodie), he coached, organized and provided leadership for kids who wanted to play.Upon retirement, they lived for a while in Southern California, then resumed their vagabond life, traveling in a 5th wheel across the country. One of their favorite activities was serving as campground hosts for several state parks in Oregon. Then they set down roots in Eugene.Dodie died in 1997, but not until she extracted a commitment from George to “Watch out for Betty.” Betty Hanson and her husband Knute had been close friends from their fifth-wheeling days. After the deaths of both their spouses, the friendship between George and Betty blossomed into something more. Surrounded by their grown children, they were married in 2000. George moved to Marysville, WA where he fully enjoyed his role as grandparent and great-grandparent for Betty’s family. Betty died in 2011.George moved back to Eugene, to the Solvang Retirement Center where he enjoyed taking tours, reviving his bridge, pinochle, cribbage and poker skills, calling bingo, Wii bowling with the Solvang Strikers, playing practical jokes on staff and friends and offering a helping hand when he could. He maintained close contact with the Hanson family while living near to Jerry and his wife, his grandson Jake and great-granddaughter Susannah.George died on December 17, peacefully and quickly after a recurrence of lung cancer. He is survived by three sons: Jerry and his wife Patty (Junction City), Jim and his partner Trudy Leu (California), and Dennis and his wife Sue (Cedar City, Utah). He is survived by many grandchildren and even more great-grandchildren. He will be lovingly remembered by his friends from every locale and era of his life, and especially the Hanson family: Dan, Ron, George, Janette, Cliff and their many children and grandchildren.In lieu of memorial flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice. Memorial services will be held locally at Musgrove Family Mortuary at 10:00 am, January 2. At 2:00 pm that same day, next to Dodie in the Willamette National Cemetery, he will be buried with full military honors.Bingo.