by THOMASVILLE, Ga. —Scott Russell Turner, a longtime furniture retailer whose business later branched out into what is known today as 1915 South, died here on Feb. 20. He was 84.
Born on April 24, 1940, in Pelham, Georgia, he was the son of the late Mose Wright Turner Jr. and Eunice Brinson Turner.
He graduated from Pelham High School in 1958 and later attended the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Upon returning home to the Pelham area, he joined his father in the family retail business, Turner’s Furniture.
His family told Home News Now that he worked in the original store location in Pelham, Georgia, where he also lived. He then moved his office to Bainbridge, Georgia, in the 1980s where the family built a new location from the original store in the 1950s.
Scott then turned over the business to his son Russell around 1999 and the family began opening Ashley stores in 2001.
“He stayed involved until the end,” his granddaughter Garland Turner, vice president of new projects at 1915 South, told Home News Now. (This included) “Most recently attending our company wide manager meeting held in Thomasville, Georgia, just this past month. He would frequent the office and tell the best stories to anyone that had a minute to listen.
“He will be greatly missed at the corporate office as his generosity with his time and constant positivity were infectious. You couldn’t help but smile, even on your worst days, when he was there.”
“His love of his community led him to be involved in many civic organizations in Pelham and Bainbridge, where he maintained an office for many years,” his obituary noted.
On June 6, 1965, he married Peggy Scarlett Simpson, a long-time classmate and friend. They had three children and nine grandchildren.
He also was actively involved in his children’s education and for many years served on the board of directors and board of trustees of Brookwood School in Thomasville, which his children and grandchildren attended.
While living in Pelham, Scott was also an active member of Hand Memorial United Methodist Church. He sang for more than 40 years in the choir, chaired and served on various committees and was a longtime board member of the Methodist retreat, Epworth by the Sea in St. Simons, Georgia.
Since moving to Thomasville in 2016, he also had been an active member of First Methodist Church.
In retirement, Scott and Peggy spent summers at their home in Highlands, North Carolina.
“He loved the mountains and would spend as much time as possible there,” his obituary read, adding, “He enjoyed a life-long love of reading, loved spending time with his family, traveling and people. Even though he was retired, he always wanted to know what was going on with the business. Scott was a people-person and never met a stranger. His love of people was evident to anyone who met him. He enjoyed telling stories about growing up in Pelham, what his children and grandchildren were doing and other life experiences. … Scott was an exceptionally devoted husband, father and grandfather.”
He is survived by his wife, Peggy, three children, Russell (Susan) of Thomasville, Ashley (Jay) Leverett of Bainbridge and Steven (Angie) of Pelham and nine grandchildren (Garland Turner, Anne Scott Turner, Hill Turner, Jackson Leverett, Henry Leverett, Abbie Leverett, Savannah Turner, Meredith Camille Turner and Simeon Turner), brother Wright (Betsy) of Valdosta and sister Anna (Tom) Guffey of Highlands, North Carolina.
A service to celebrate Scott’s life was held Feb. 25 at Thomasville First Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to First Methodist Church, 425 N. Broad Street, Thomasville, GA 31792. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Scott Russell Turner, please visit the Sympathy Store of Allen & Allen Funeral Home and Crematory.
