Gary Allen Turner, 66, of Marshalltown, Iowa, passed away on September 23, 2024 with family by his side. Born on December 12, 1957 in Nevada, Iowa, to Clarence and Dorothy Turner, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather.
Gary was the youngest of four siblings. He grew up on a farm north of Clemons, Iowa. In his youth, Gary’s love for fast cars, motorcycles, and homemade go-karts kept the Sheriff’s department busy. As a graduate of West Marshall High school he made friendships that lasted a lifetime. Gary had a sense of adventure to match his sense of humor. He may have known who drained the area water tower, twice. Gary and a friend once snuck off the bus during a class trip in South Dakota and later admitted that they paid a helicopter pilot $20 each to fly them over Mount Rushmore. We are all grateful that somehow he survived his youth to become the cherished man that we celebrate today.
Gary worked at Alliant Energy for 37 years. He was a trusted, dedicated, hardworking employee. Gary developed bonds with the people he worked with and considered many of the guys to be part of his family. Despite his many responsibilities, he would always make time to be there for his kids and grandchildren. If you had a sporting event you could expect to see Gary and Deanna in the crowd.
Though Gary may not have liked to be the center of attention, he deserves to have his years of fatherly love honored. Gary was a man of integrity, quiet humor, and a master storyteller that will leave a lasting impact on everyone who knew him.
Gary’s hobbies and interests helped define who he was. He enjoyed being outdoors and traveling with Deanna in their RV and spending time with their beloved camping group. While Gary was able to travel to many places on his bucket list, he also enjoyed simple drives throughout the state to view nature, wildlife and eagles. Some of Gary’s most memorable places he visited include, flying over the Grand Canyon, Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, whale watching in Massachusetts, Niagara Falls and visiting the Space Needle. Gary loved fishing and passed this love on to his son and grandchildren. He enjoyed flying his RC planes, running his RC boat on the lake, and sitting on the deck with his dogs.
Gary is survived by his wife Deanna Turner, children Stephanie Swanson, Dustyn (Amy) Turner, Bryan Daniel. Grandchildren Brianna Brawdy, Trent Easton, Corinn Swanson, Stella & Everett Turner. Sister Pat (Jack) Rayburn & brother Jim (Julie) Turner. Aunt Mary Henderson. Mother-in-law Linda Hartwig. Sister-in-law Darla (Chuck) Henze & Nephew Joe. Brother in-law Ross (Nikki) Hartwig, Mikayla & Lane.
Gary is preceded in death by his mother and father Clarence and Dorothy Turner, son-in-law Mark Swanson, sister Sandi Peterson, uncle Craig Henderson, father-in-law Bill Hartwig.
A Celebration of Life will be held on October 5, 2024, 11:00 AM, at Clemons Cemetery with luncheon to follow at the Clemons Church.
We find comfort in knowing that Dad's legacy lives on through the stories he told, the lessons he taught, the love he shared, and the memories that we will cherish.