Charles Franklin Turner Sr.

Charles F. Turner Sr. (Buddy) of Travelers Rest, S.C. passed away in Greenville S.C. on Monday, November 10, 2025 after battling congestive heart failure for several years that robbed him of his mobility. He was 86 years old. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Joanne G. Turner and his son Charles (Chuck) F. Turner Jr. (Angela) of Travelers Rest, S.C. and 2 granddaughters, Ashley J. Turner of Greenville, S.C. and Meredith Turner Cooper (Corey) of Taylors, S.C. The family will celebrate his life with a graveside service on Thursday, November 13, 2025 at Reedy River Baptist Church in Travelers Rest, S.C. at 11:00 a.m. The family will receive friends at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. before the service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the North Greenville Food Crisis Ministry in Travelers Rest, S.C. “Buddy”, to his family and friends, was born in Charleston, S.C. on March 26, 1939 to James A. and Alice Ballentine Turner of St. Stephen, S.C. Buddy was their youngest son and brother of James A. Turner Jr. After spending his early years in St. Stephen, in the middle of Hellhole Swamp in northern Berkeley County, Buddy attended Porter Military School in Charleston, S.C. and Castle Heights Military School in Lebanon, Tenn. before attending Trinity Pauling School in Pauling, N.Y. for his high school education. Buddy was a good athlete earning multiple varsity letters in football, wrestling, baseball, and track and field. He was a team captain his senior year in football and earned all state honors in wrestling as a light heavyweight. He was chosen Head Prefect at Trinity Pauling as a senior. He played the trumpet in the band and adeptly sang bass in several men’s choral groups. His summers and vacations were spent in the Hellhole Swamp logging cypress and other hardwoods while running a D-6 Caterpillar bulldozer (“Yella Gal”) under the tutelage of John Henry Mazyck. Those lessons of hard work never left him. Buddy also played fastpitch softball traveling the state coached by his uncle, Dick Ballentine, and was a beach lifeguard at Myrtle Beach. After graduating from Trinity Pauling in 1958, he came to Greenville, S.C. to attend Furman University and play football. After surviving summer football camp at Camp Rocky Bottom and battling through his freshman year (freshmen athletes in the 1950s were required to redshirt), Buddy found that life was much more enjoyable as a member of Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. On a fateful Sunday afternoon, he and a KA brother persuaded 2 Furman co-eds to give them a ride around the brand new Furman campus which led to his introduction to Joanne Greene of Travelers Rest who would become his wife a short year and a half later and his life long love. Their marriage lasted 65 years until his death. Together, they had one son, Charles F. Turner Jr. but biology aside, they loved and supported a number of sons who were Chuck’s friends and teammates. Buddy was an ROTC member at Furman, winning Furman's highest ROTC honor his senior year. He was commissioned as 1st Lieutenant in the 7th Armored Cavalry R egiment of the U.S. Army. After graduating Furman with a B.A. in business/political science in 1962, he was stationed in West Germany on the West Germany/East Germany border as a tank commander at the height of the Cold War and during President Kennedy’s assassination. After being honorably discharged from the U.S. Army and receiving a promotion to the rank of Captain, Buddy was employed in sales and marketing for 17 years, first in the apparel business with Stone Manufacturing Co. and eventually in plastics with Hoechst Celanese. Buddy became President of Turner Lumber Company before returning to school receiving his certification as a Registered Nurse from Greenville Technical College in 1978 and obtained a specialization in cardiac care. Being a devoted runner and bicyclist for over 40 years, Buddy founded the North Greenville Fitness and Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinic in Travelers Rest, S.C. in 1978 which he operated until the day he died, performing electrocardiograms and wellness testing on firefighters and first responders. Over 46 years of serving his life’s mission, he monitored the physical testing of tens of thousands of firefighters while giving them his good natured ribbing and hard time. In his younger days, he was a member of the Travelers Rest chapter of the Jaycees, and in his later years, faithfully supported the North Greenville Food Crisis Ministry. He was a life long member of the Episcopal church and, at his death, was still a member of Christ Church in Greenville which he joined while at Furman. However, he also attended Reedy River Baptist Church and Berea First Baptist Church over the years. He was a faithful supporter of Furman athletics having season tickets on the 50 yard line in Paladin Stadium from the moment it opened for over 30 years and followed the team to various away games and playoff appearances. While his son attended Wofford College, he was a proud member of the Wofford College Parents Advisory Board at the same time he was on the Furman University Alumni Board. In 2005, Buddy received the Furman University Distinguished Alumni Award. He was also a member of Green Valley Country Club for almost 50 years. Buddy’s life was one of effort and caring. In 1982, he started the Travelers Rest American Legion baseball team (the only American Legion team in the state of S.C. without an active Legion post at the time) purchasing an old school bus which he painted blue. It was a fixture and discernable landmark sitting in his driveway for years and led to a common point of reference as his son met his future wife. He loved his family which included many friends of his son, and cared for everyone that worked with him and was screened by his clinic. He loved beach music and shagging to it with the love of his life, Bushmills Irish Whiskey, ice cream, Mrs. Flora’s chocolate pie, and Furman football. His family takes comfort knowing he is with his Savior in heaven. He is also reunited with his predeceased friends Dennis Sides, Dugan Foster, and Jerry Sutphin who together are no doubt looking for fun and some sort of mischief. FU ALL THE TIME! A Graveside service with Military Honors will be held at 11 AM on Thursday, November 13th at Reedy River Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 10 am until 10:50 am in the Church Sanctuary prior to the Graveside Service.

Charles Franklin Turner Sr.

March 26, 1939 - November 10, 2025