William Turner

William (Bill) K. Turner, resident of Austin, Texas passed away on May 19, 2018.

Bill was born May 28, 1926 to Anna Ross Poole and Cleo Kelso Turner in Bloomington, Indiana.

They moved to Austin when Bill was just a young boy where he attended school up to his junior year in high school, at which time his family moved to Portland, Oregon. Bill graduated high school in Portland. His family moved back to Austin around 1950.

Bill was an avid musician and could play just about every instrument, although his favorite was the Bass fiddle. He worked for JR Reed Music Company in Austin traveling all over the central Texas area to the schools selling band instruments to the band students. After leaving JR Reed Music Company in the 1960’s, he went to work for the Texas Highway Department until his retirement.

His love for music never waned though. He played on weekends with his band “The Bill Turner Combo”. He managed the Continental Club from the late 1950’s to the early 1960’s, where his band played every weekend.

On his 80th birthday, his family threw him a big birthday party at Shultz’s Beer Garden, inviting all of the many musicians Bill played with over the years. All brought their instruments and had a great “jazz” session. In all about 75 people attended. The kids and grandkids loved hearing the music and the “stories”.

Bill was a 32nd degree mason of Masonic Lodge #456 and a long-standing member of Ben Hur Shrine Temple for crippled and burned children’s hospitals.

The family would like to give a special thanks to the Saucedo family for the loving care they rendered to Bill for the last 13 months.

Bill is survived by his wife, JoAnn, sons, Terry and Jeff Turner, and daughter Barbara Shannon, 4 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Peggy Messick, daughter Kelly Turner, and granddaughter, Shelli Shannon Guillot.

A Memorial Service is scheduled on June 13th, 2018 at 12PM at All Faiths Funeral Services, 8507 N IH-35, Austin TX 78753. Refreshments to follow.