Donna Katherine Turrentine, age 88, of Houston, Texas, formerly of Plano, Texas, passed away February 13, 2015 in Houston. She was born August 18, 1926 in Sherman, Texas to Donald Hurst and Ruby Marie (Stark) Hurst, and was reared in Sherman.
After graduating from Sherman High School in 1943 she obtained a teaching degree from East Texas State Teacher’s College (now known as Texas A&M University – Commerce) in Commerce, Texas in 1947. While she was at East Texas State she met WWII veteran and Commerce resident Richard J. Turrentine. Following a year teaching at an elementary school in Greenville, Richard and Donna were married on June 20, 1948 in Sherman and enjoyed a 62 year marriage.
Richard and Donna first lived in Commerce while he worked with his father in the grocery business. After a brief tenure in California during the Korean Conflict, Richard and Donna settled in Sherman, where their two sons were born and Richard worked in the grocery wholesale business. Donna remained a homemaker and Mom. Following relocations to several cities around Texas, Richard joined his brother’s funeral business in McKinney and became cemetery manager of Ridgeview Memorial Park where he was associated until his retirement. Richard and Donna settled in Plano where they lived for more than 40 years.
Donna was an active bridge player, with memberships in many bridge clubs and she also enjoyed playing tennis. She was a member of First United Methodist Church of Plano. Most of all she enjoyed rearing her sons and being there for them.
She was preceded in death by her father and mother, and her husband Richard.
She is survived by her sons Steve Turrentine and wife, Eileen of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Rick Turrentine and wife, Julie of Houston; and grandchildren, Sarah Longacre and husband, Kyle, Kathryn Turrentine, James Turrentine, and John Turrentine.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, February 20, 2015, at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Chapel in Allen, Texas with Reverend Donald Renshaw officiating. Interment will follow at Ridgeview Memorial Park in Allen. The family will receive friends during a visitation beginning at 6:00 p.m., Thursday evening at the funeral home.
Gratitude and thanks are given to those who assisted Donna in her last days in Houston, including her friends and the staff at Tarrytowne Estates, the nursing staff at The Vosswood, and to Buckner Parkway Place and Buckner Hospice.
Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Plano; 3160 East Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX 75074.