MARILYN JANET TURNER
1940-2022
Marilyn Janet Turner of Newcastle, Oklahoma passed away on Monday, April 4, 2022, in Wichita, Kansas at the age of 81. She was attending the Region 25 Sweet Adeline Convention, and was getting ready to compete with her chorus, when she had a heart attack. She was doing the thing she loved best… singing! Marilyn had recently moved to Newcastle, Oklahoma after living in Houston, Texas for over 50 years. She was a loving wife, sister, stepmother, aunt, grandmother, cousin, mentor and friend to many.
Born October 12, 1940, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, to Florence Dorothy (Scheer) and Alvin Carroll Turner, Marilyn graduated from Norman High School. She attended the University of Oklahoma, receiving a BA in Business Marketing in 1962. Marilyn received numerous awards and was part of the Business Honor Society, Beta Gamma Sigma. She remained active in the OU Club of Houston, serving several years on the Board of Directors and as President in 1987 and in 2013.
Marilyn owned and operated For Good Measure, a kitchen-gourmet store, with Houston locations in Galleria II, West Oaks Mall and Lantern Lane. She later inherited Splash Magazine, the trade journal for the waterpark industry, and continued it as Slash-on-the-net, acting as editor and publisher. Her experience in the travel industry (airline employee, wholesale tour operator and travel agent) gave her the opportunity to visit many parts of the globe.
A longer-than 50-year member of Sweet Adelines International, she was a Charter Member of the Houston Horizon Chorus, as well as serving as Events Coordinator for the Great Gulf Coast Region 10, and wore many hats in the chorus and Region.
She received her 50-year pin from Sweet Adelines in 2017. Marilyn was a beloved member of the Houston Horizon
Chorus for over 38 years. In 2019, Marilyn moved back to her home state of Oklahoma and was an active member of the Sooner Sensations Chorus in Oklahoma City, serving on the Costume and Makeup team. She was a mentor to many chorus members over the years.
Marilyn was a member of Houston Focus on Concerns for Women (HFCW) since 1981. She was also active in
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, Texas prior to moving back to Oklahoma.
Marilyn is survived by her brother-in-law, Jim Keeley, of Blanchard, Oklahoma; nephews Joseph Keeley of Denver, Colorado and Jared Keeley of Richmond, Virginia, and niece Zinnia Keeley of Sarasota, Florida; stepdaughters Anne Lang and Leslie Melton; step-grandchildren, Robyn Lang and Richard Lang, of Canada, and their families; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, great-grandchildren and long-time friends.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband, David Ewing; her father, Alvin Turner; her mother, Florence Turner; her brother, Alvin Turner, Jr.; her sister, Diane Turner Keeley, all of Oklahoma; and her step-son, Rob Ewing of Houston.
A memorial service will be held in Oklahoma, and details will be available soon. The Houston Horizon Chorus will hold a Celebration of
Life for Marilyn in Houston, and the date and time will be announced shortly.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (www.omrf.org), Sweet Adelines International (www.sweetadelines.com), or a favorite charity.