Gerald L. “Gerry” Turner, 87, of Huntsville, passed away Monday. Mr. Turner was preceded in death by his parents, Grady and Daisy Odum Turner of Temperance Hall, Tennessee where he was born and raised. He graduated from Gordonsville, (TN) High School in 1946. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Tennessee Technology University in 1950. Upon graduation, he joined the United States Air Force and served four years in Western Europe and at Cape Canaveral, Florida. From Cape Canaveral, he transferred to the Army Ballistic Missile Agency in Huntsville, Alabama and became a Charter Member of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. He retired from the Marshall Space Flight Center in 1981.            

His hobbies included painting, organ playing, wood-working, and he was an avid reader. He had a tremendous love for the American national parks. He and Edith visited 40 of the national parks.            

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Edith Hall Turner; son, James E. Turner (Dawn) of Huntsville; daughters, Glenda P. Brandner (Wolfgang) of Olathe, Kansas, and Linda P. Cuddington of Warm Springs, Georgia; grandchildren, Elizabeth Culverhouse, Paul Brandner, Justin Culverhouse (Ginger), Eric Turner, and Anna Mercer; and great-granddaughter, Edie Kate Culverhouse; sister, Helen Taylor of McMinnville, TN; and several nieces and nephews.            

A graveside service will be at 11:00 a.m. Thursday at Maple Hill Cemetery with Michael McLemore officiating. 
            
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Huntsville Library Foundation, 915 Monroe Street, SW, Huntsville, AL 35801 (256) 532-5954, or http://huntsvillelibrary foundation.org.