Nolan Richard Turner

77 year old Nolan Richard Turner of Smithville passed away Thursday at his residence. He was a retired manager of the Farm Bureau and Loan Officer and Public Relations Manager at DeKalb Community Bank. The funeral will be Saturday at 12 noon at the Smithville First Baptist Church, where he was a member. Rick Roberts and Bill Robertson will officiate and burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Nashville. Visitation will be Friday from 4-8 p.m. at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home and Saturday from 10 a.m. until the service at noon at the Smithville First Baptist Church. Turner was preceded in death by his parents, Brown and Pearl Ford Turner and a daughter, Jo Ellen Huffman. Survivors include his wife, Polly Nixon Turner of Smithville. Sons, Jamie Turner of Dowelltown and Jonathan Turner of Nashville. Daughter, Jennifer and Rich Wisthuff of Hermitage. Granddaughter, Emma Wisthuff of Hermitage. Brothers, Bratten and Annie Turner of Lebanon, Jimmy and Lynn Turner of Alexandria, Willie and Lavella Turner of Alexandria, Joe and Velma Turner of Watertown, and Don and Gail Turner of Smithville. Sisters, Faye Turner Evans and Jean Turner Hope both of Smithville. Several nieces and nephews also survive. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Donations may be made to Gideons International. Pallbearers will be Stephen Officer, Dan Hancock, Mike Braswell, Mike Conley, Ernest Ray, Chad Colwell, Mark Willoughby, and Greg Evans. Honorary Pallbearers are Farm Bureau employees, DeKalb Community Bank employees, Agricultural Extension Committee and employees, Joe Stone, Gideons, First Baptist Sunday School Class, and Election Commission.
Nolan was born December 14, 1939 in Cannon County, Tennessee. At age one, the Turner family moved to DeKalb County. He was the 5th child of a family of eight children who was educated in the schools of DeKalb County, graduating from Liberty High School in 1957. He received his B.S. Degree in Agriculture (Agronomy) from Tennessee Tech in 1961. He received his C.L.U. Designation from American College in 1984. While at Tech, he was very active in school activities and he also worked for $.50/hour in the cafeteria and summer construction for all his college expenses.
Nolan was a member of the National Championship Collegiate Land Judging Team. He was instrumental in establishing an Agriculture Honor Society, known as Delta Tau Alpha, and became the Charter President at Tech. He was also Editor of “The Aggie Contact”, a magazine for all Agriculture graduates. He was President of the Agronomy Club and Vice President of the Aggie Club. He was honored with “Who’s Who in American College and Universities” from Tech. After graduation from Tech in 1961, he became the office manager for Production Credit Association in DeKalb County. He worked for them for 5 1/2 years and then changed jobs to Agency and Office Manager of DeKalb County Farm Bureau. He worked for Farm Bureau for 35 1/2 years before retiring. He won many awards and incentives in his insurance career.
The next three years he spent helping his son in the Auto Parts business, taught school, enjoyed being at home, relishing in his vegetable and rose gardens. In 2005, he went to work for DeKalb Community Bank (now known as Wilson Bank and Trust). He worked in loans and later as Business Development for about twelve years before retiring.
Community & Civic Activities
*Chairman of the DeKalb Utility District Board of Directors when the 1st water lines were laid.
*Chairman of the Board of DeKalb Farmer’s Co-op. The Co-op building was built under his leadership
*Spent 32 years on the DeKalb County Election Commission, 25 years as Chairman
*Spent 23 years with the Fiddlers’ Jamboree as official photographer, and souvenir booklet layout for 15 years
*Helped establish Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County, President for two terms and helped build new houses
*He helped in starting The Gideons International Smithville Camp and served in almost all programs with them. He served 25 years as Gideon Memorial Bible Representative.
*He served as Cub Master and on the Boy Scouts Advancement Committee
*He was awarded the Long Rifle Award by the Boy Scouts of Middle Tennessee Council
*He trained Land Judging Teams for the F.F.A. and 4-H Clubs that won district and state titles.
*He served as State Chairman of the 4-H Volunteer Leaders’ Committee in 1993-1994 and 1998-1999.
*He served on the county Agriculture Committee of U.T. Extension, and was Chairman for several years.
*He was awarded the Outstanding Agriculture Alumnus Award from T.T.U. in 1993
*He served on the Soil Conservation Committee of DeKalb County
*He was awarded The Legacy Award by the County Leadership Committee
*He served on the TN 4-H Foundation Board of Directors
*He served on the U.T. Extension District Advisory Board and was Committee Chairman
*He helped organize the Liberty High School Alumni Association and served as President for 13 years.
*He was President of the PTO of Smithville Elementary and DeKalb Middle School.
Hobbies
*Growing roses and sharing them with others
*refurbishing antique lamps
*Gardening
Church
*Taught youth and adults in Sunday School, RA’s
*Served on Property & Finance Committees as Chairman
*He was in the Church Choir
*He was Church Treasurer for 9 years
*He was Salem Baptist Association Clerk for 5 years
*He was on the Salem Association Mission & Stewardship Committees
“I hope I have done something to make this county a better place to live under God’s leadership”
“Loving self will soon pass, but loving God and others will last.”