Wanda Patricia Turner's Obituary
Will Rogers was famously quoted as saying, "I never met a man I didn't like" and for those who knew Wanda Turner they might say “Wanda never met a person she didn’t talk to.”
Wanda Patricia Burnett was born on February 16,1932 as the youngest child to Sallie and Walker Burnett in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Growing up in the Tulsa area, she graduated from Will Rogers High School class of 1950. While attending Eastside Church of Christ she met a shy, ex-military man ten years her senior and with her outgoing personality it wasn't long before she became Mrs. Eldon Turner on September 15, 1950.
Wanda worked at Halliburton in Payroll until she began her most proud title of Homemaker and Mother to three daughters, Anette, Shari and Laketa. Wanda was well known for her exceptional sewing talent from wedding dresses to tailored suits to Halloween costumes and everyday clothes.
Once all her daughters were old enough to go to school she volunteered at Patrick Henry and later did substitute teaching for Claremore schools, volunteering much of her time at Verdigris schools as well.
Wanda's endless batches of Peanut Brittle every holiday season were legendary and requested by many, as no one made it quite like her. Her homemade hot rolls and pot roast were also in demand every Sunday. Her handwriting was impeccable, and she was proud of her penmanship as it was quite beautiful.
Eldon and Wanda moved from Tulsa to Claremore in 1973 and falling in love with the small-town charm, she immersed herself in the community. For years, she served as band parent volunteer, running the concession stand at every home football, basketball and wrestling game. Wanda was involved in 4-H and AFS, hosting a foreign exchange student, Phenphorn, from Thailand, whom she claimed as her fourth daughter. She hosted many AFS students from around the world for short or extended stays. She became an active worker for the election board, working for them for over 40 years. Wanda also worked at the post office delivering mail to rural routes as a long-term sub.
After Eldon's health declined, Wanda travelled to the VA every day to spend time with him until her girls insisted, she take one day a week off. She chose Sunday as that day as Sunday was reserved for Wanda's commitment to follow the Lord. Her faith was very important to her, and she never missed a service until her own health declined. Singing hymns was her passion as her soprano could be heard hitting the highest of notes as she raised her voice to heaven.
Wanda had a "get up and go” attitude and didn't like to be idle. While Eldon was in the VA, she also volunteered in the clothing room there. With her sewing skills she saw a need for the men there and recycled old jeans to make them pouches for the walkers and wheelchairs to carry various odds and ends. After Eldon passed in 2016, she continued to volunteer and when COVID prohibited her service to the VA, she continued the friendship with the other volunteers she had met there and got with them monthly for a luncheon she always looked forward to.
She also met her senior class every month for lunch in Tulsa as well as the Catoosa Senior Center, where she also played games and met new people. She truly didn't know a stranger.
She loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. They will tell you that their “Granny" was a woman who spoke her mind and didn't sugarcoat the truth. Her primary goal was for them to serve the Lord.
As one of her grandsons reminded us, that in the early morning hours she liked to sing the Roger and Hammerstein's song from the movie "Oklahoma” titled “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" as a wakeup call for the day. As Wanda meets Jesus, we can only imagine her still singing "Oh What a Beautiful Day!"
Wanda passed from this world on Sunday, May 18, 2025, and is preceded in
death by her spouse of 65 years, Eldon D. Turner, parents, Walker Elsworth Burnett and Sallie Lee Murphy; stepfather, A.G. Murphy; siblings, J.W. Burnett, Juanita Smith and Gladys Marie Burnett; and Son in law, Carl Bradley.
She is survived by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren; Anette Bradley, Bryan and Melissa Bradley, Dustin, Scot, Jacob, Amanda; Shari and Steve Davison, Barry and Bree Davison, Evie, Wren, Hattie, Brittany Davison and Morgan Davison; Laketa and Tom Mitchell, Kallsy and Logan Page, MacKenzie and Jared Johnson, Gossett, Blais, Edith, Alison and Hunter Boyd, Phenphorn “Phen” Phatanabowornsakdi.
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