Patricia Turner
North Stonington — Patricia Stout “Pat” Turner passed away March 6, 2024, after a short but determined fight against pancreatic cancer. Patricia was born and grew up in Bristol, Pa.
She was an honors student going on to earn a bachelor’s degree at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa. She began college majoring in art, but changed to science and graduated with a degree in medical technology. Throughout her life, she blended her interest in science with a real love for all the arts. It was at Lycoming that she met Mac Turner, and they became fast friends for the next 55 years. On May 17, they would have celebrated their 49th anniversary. Upon graduating from Lycoming, they moved to Washington, D.C., where they lived for 12 years. Patricia first worked in a laboratory at the Yater Clinic in Washington, then became the head of the hematology lab at Georgetown University Hospital for 10 years.
In 1982, Pat and Mac moved to North Stonington with their young sons, Greg and Leland. Pat joined the North Stonington Garden Club and became very active in maintaining gardens throughout the village. She also became active with the P.T.O. and for 10 years, she was responsible for selecting and hosting artists and performers who visited the schools. In 1997, Patricia became a member of the board of directors of the North Stonington Historical Society and she remained on the board for 27 years. Patricia belonged to the North Stonington Congregational Church where she was active with the missions committee and served as chairman of the cemetery committee. Patricia truly loved North Stonington. She was a firm believer in the importance of impartiality in our electoral process, serving for 20 years as a poll worker in North Stonington, often as chairman of that body. Patricia was an avid environmentalist and conservationist and served as chairman of the Avalonia Land Conservancy’s North Stonington Town Committee for 18 years. In 2021, she started the Pollinators Pathways Project which encourages the planting and maintenance of gardens and flower beds that attract and support pollinators and teaches children the importance that pollinators play in our agricultural environment.
Pat loved learning about foreign cultures. In 1976, Mac and Pat traveled from Alexandria, Egypt to Khartoum, Sudan, via fourth-class rail and barges, an unforgettable trip that led to a lifetime of travel. This included seven trips riding a tandem bike in Europe, New Zealand, and Vietnam alongside their son, Leland, who works for a bicycle tour company. Pat made trips on her own to Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mali, and Senegal, and with her sister to Nepal. As a result of her travels, Pat was introduced to an array of foods which she learned to prepare at home and she became a remarkably skilled cook. She developed such a large collection of recipes that she rarely served a dish twice in any year. In addition to all this, Pat was an enthusiastic sailor and member of the Ram Island Yacht Club. In addition to innumerable sails in our local waters, she sailed several times to Maine, and back with Mac.
Patricia is survived by her husband Mac; and their two sons, Leland and wife Joy and Greg and wife Teisha; and by her sister Kathleen and her husband Richard and their sons, Ian and Zach. She will be sadly missed by them all.
There will be a memorial service at 11 a.m. March 8, at the North Stonington Congregational Church followed by Interment at the Old Plains Cemetery for family members. A memorial reception will follow in Hewitt Hall. Donations in memory of Patricia may be made to the North Stonington Congregational Church. For online condolences, please visit www.buckler-johnston. com.