Paul C. Turner

Paul Turner, 81 of Deforest, passed away November 3, 2023, due to congestive heart failure at UW Hospital West, in Madison, WI. He was born as Paul Cumming Turner May 27, 1942, in Deposit, New York. He was the only son of Loren Hulburt Turner & Elizabeth Cumming (Brown) Turner.

Paul graduated from Deposit Central High School June 1960. Paul married Jesse Lee Rando in August of 1963. He then attended and graduated SUNY at Delhi June 1963 AAS degree in Dairy Plant Management.  He graduated from the University of Georgia (UGA) June 1968 Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Dairy Science, Animal Science, and Agricultural Chemistry. In August of 1970, Paul graduated from UGA with a Master of Science in Reproductive Physiology.

Ever the scholar, Paul had six experiments published in scientific journals, two as senior author while he was in graduate school, and four as co-author while he was in the research department of ABS Global. Paul’s major employers included Middleton Milk and Cream from 1961 – 1963. Syracuse, NY City Health Department from 1963 – 1965. UGA dairy store and Acoustic Engineering of Atlanta from 1966 – 1968. Paul received a UGA research stipend from 1968 – 1970. American Breeders Service (ABS) Global 1970 – 2008. After 38 years, Paul retired from American Breeders Service (ABS) Global in 2008 as the Senior Laboratory Supervisor. Paul and Jesse Lee divorced in 1974, with four children.

Paul married Janette (Jan or Nette) Joan Geier (Snyder) on April 12, 1980, at the Little Brown Church in the Vale, in Nashua, Iowa.  They spent over 43 years happily married living in southern Wisconsin. Paul was a proud Scotsman of the Clan Comyn/Cumming. He loved being with his family, neighbors and his colleagues/staff at ABS. He was an avid GA Bulldogs, WI Badgers, and Green Bay Packers fan. He really enjoyed the game of football and his little dogs.  

Paul’s hobbies included photography, hunting, boating, fishing, shooting, and carpentry. Paul played the trumpet, keyboard and harmonica and enjoyed singing bass in the Church Choir at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in DeForest, WI. An active member of the community, Paul had served as assistant Boy Scout Master, finance committee member for a church, community water board member, and the head coach for a youth tackle football team in DeForest, WI. 

Paul is survived by his children- Marianne (Duane) Held of Richmond Hill, GA; Joseph (Stacey) Turner of Hereford, AZ; Jeffrey (Adria) Turner of Woodbury, MN and James (Tonia C.) Turner of Lake Crystal, MN. Paul’s stepchildren include the late Jeffrey (Vicki) Snyder of Windsor, WI; Timothy (Karen) Snyder of LaValle, WI; the late Thomas (Carla) Snyder of Wisconsin Rapids, WI and Jason (Lori Veith) Snyder of McFarland, WI.  Together, Paul and Jan had 8 grandchildren, 8 step grandchildren plus 5 step great grandchildren, and many in laws, nephews and nieces; grandchildren, Anistie (Thomas) Held-Wigmore; Calyssa Held; Morgan Turner; Darby Turner; Cassandra Turner; Alexandria (Aaron Rehlinger), Aubrey Hruby, and Dakota Turner; step grandchildren, Marlissa Larson, Michael Larson, Alicia Snyder Carmen, Ian Snyder, Logan Snyder, Lance Snyder, Lyndsey Lovell, and April Snyder Wulf; step great grandchildren, Logan Peterson, Dakota Bates, Gemma Lovell, Hunter Wulf and Asher, Oliver and Owen Lovell. Paul was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Janette (Geier) Turner in June of this year, his sister Barbara (James) Palmer of Bergen, NY, and stepsons Jeffrey Snyder, and Thomas Snyder.

Funeral service will be held Saturday, November 18 at 11 AM at Grasse Funeral Home in Pardeeville with Rev, Mark Brandel officiating. Visitation will be held from 9 AM until the time of service. He plans on being buried along with his wife Janette on the Geier Family Farm this coming spring.

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