Time and Date set for William H. Turners Memorial

William H. Turner's memorial will take place at Andrews Cemetary, located on  Hwy 521. The memorial will start at 3pm on Sun. Oct. 3rd.  This service will be open to the public.

Taking Daddy Home

By tomorrow this time, I will have traveled over 6000 miles and through 19 states. It was exhausting in a lot of ways, frustrating, heart wrenching. How do people do this? Do they walk around with a lump in their throat for the rest of their lives?

Going home was not easy; leaving was even harder to do. The worst part was leaving without seeing you. I told you that me and Will would take you home. I didn't realize at the time that it would be like this, but it was the least I could do and I am honored to do it. It was worth it, and I'd do it again if I could.

Will has dreams about you. Sometimes I wish we could switch. I wish this were the dream and his dreams were our reality. Mainly I wish I had been nicer to you when I had the chance, hugged you when I had the chance, told you I love you when I had the chance.

I needed to go home, needed to see our family, needed to be reminded of who we are and where we are from, and get my accent back. It may be silly, but you loved to travel, and road trips, and I hope I took you to some of the places you loved. You are in my Mama's kitchen for now, probably high on the list of your favorite places. Regardless, you are now home forever.

Can Andrews be saved?

     Is it possible to save my hometown? I say yes. There are too many good people there to believe that it can not be. For the past 20 years I have watched the town go down. Now it is at the point that if we do not do something about it. It could be lost forever. If you are asking yourself what is he talking about then you have been under a rock the last 20 years.
    There are a few things we can do to help.
    1st make it your business. By this I mean if you see something that isn't right. Scream that it is wrong!
Our kids are exposed to so much, so young it is unreal. I am about to air some dirty laundry so if you are offended, then I am talking to you. DRUGS have got to stop. Stop doing them. Stop selling them. For this to take place kids need a way to make money. There are zero jobs there. We need better drug education. Teach it in church. The kids need to be taught about the dangers. There is more Cocaine in that town  than Den, Co.. In my mine this is the biggest challenge facing our kids. Teach your children. Take them to places that suck and say this is what happens when you do drugs. Stop the music. The Media is out to destroy our kids minds. Why do kids need an I-Phone for example. Are they running a corporation? It makes no sense. Turn the TV and computer off. Make them read, and work. So they can appreciate a dollar.  
   2nd the police.  If we allow the police to conduct themselves the way they have then we deserve having a lawless town. Not all the cops are crooks, only most.  Power corrupts. I firmly believe that any new cop hired should be from out of town. Too many conflicts of interest. It is hard to arrest your cousin or friend.  The town is too small. We can go to the town meetings and demand this, if it doesn't change replace the council and mayor. The power is in the people. We are the people, so it is our responsibility. I have joked that I could stop the drugs easily, by parking a cruiser at the motel, Jones Ave. and Main st.. When people start moving scared, pull them over. Why don't they do that? hmmm. Most people do not want to get involved, but we must. That motel is a shame. I have been all over this Country and I am here to tell you that this isn't normal. It is something you only see in the worst of places.
    3rd Activities. The people with out money need something to do. So my Idea is the river. The landing needs to be improved. Add benches, tables, grills, rope off an area for swimming. Things like that. I know money is tight but look at the money spent in PI. They pay the same tax rate. There are grants and other resources that are untapped. There other ideas out there I am sure.
    4th Repeal the old trailer law. It is running people out of town and destroying the tax base. I am not saying we need junk trailers in town either. The trailers could be judged on a case by case basis. Some people take care of their things. So it makes no sense to have a blanket law. In case no one told you people in Andrews are poor.
     5th Annex land towards GT. and the river. This would expand the tax base dramatically. The little bit extra it would cost the town for services would be a non factor.
     6th Help each other we are brothers and sisters in Gods eye's. Black and White people need to get over it. This is now and if we do not work together we are doomed. The town must unite to solve these problems the town faces. The days of saying, "Oh thats not my problem" have to end. For too long I have been on the sidelines. So I had to put my 2 cents in. I pray that the non profit I'm founding can help. But it takes us all.
    Too often we put all the work on God. I do not believe we understand we are Gods tools. We are his hands of course he can intervene. But he wants us to do some of the ground work. We are his children. For instance we expect our kids to do certain things on there own. We do not hand feed an 11 year old. At some point the kid must do it themselves. I honestly think God has spoiled a lot of us. Maybe even to teach us a lesson. If you are someone that wants to help I will create a private email where I can be contacted.

I wonder what you are doing now

I was wondering what you were doing. I miss you so much. I think of all the time we wasted. But now you are in heaven. What is it like? I was hoping i would get to ask you but you left. Are you telling stories there? The only thing I know is you are not in pain anymore. That is a blessing. I love the lord for allowing me to be with you in your last minutes. I love the lord no matter what but that was really special. I am just so use to you being here. I'm hopeful that I  see you there. You had a heart of gold. They say there is no pain in heaven. So you wouldn't be able to look down here. I love you Daddy.

The Bird

I guess it was like summer of 2002. My dad, and I were at the house, broke on Sunday. And it was storming. We were really in need of a brake. I was prayin for something good to happen. Dad like always knew it would be ok.
As time past that day I started to get hungry. Thats when I heard a horn blow, beep.beep. I looked out the window and it was B-dog( Baron Richardson). I yelled "Come on in B". Baron walked in and said "What ya'll doing". I said "You see it". Dad started moving around, putting on shoes, getting his hat. B said "I got a few beers in the cooler do ya'll wanna ride?". Daddy was already in the car lol. So we rode to Morrisville only a few miles outside o f Andrews.
      The sky started getting dark, and the bottom fell out for 30min straight. Thunder, Lightning, Wind it was bad. We rode and talked about the days hot topics.Whos doing what, we laughed and joked just radom conversation. We decided to go to Reds landing.
    When we got out the car at Reds, Baron noticed a sign that said LOST BIRD $100 reward and had a very small photo of the bird on it. Baron a made comment that people are crazy, that the bird was gone. Me and my dad agreed their had been storms all day. At the same time we saw a bird dive bomb the back of dads neck. We both yelled " lookout" when the bird touched the back of Williams neck he started running around like the holy ghost was in him. Baron and me were laughing so hard we could not talk. Baron said,"Chill thats the bird!". I was like I know and it is a lot bigger than the pic suggested. It was an African Red Tail. Very Big. It had flew back it the trees where we couldn't see it, but we could here it laughing HAAhAAA. The bird was mocking us.
      Our cousin Bengie Dunn lived in one of the houses at the landing. So dad took off running to see if he was home to call the number on the flyer. I told B-dog "Watch this I know how to catch him" half joking. I went and stood in the middle of the pavement stretched my arms out and whistled a call. And the Bird dove from the top of a Cypress and was coming towards me. It landed on my shoulder, Baron said, "Stay still, don't move!" I couldn't I was in shock. About that time my Dad grabbed the bird from behind and screamed. The bird had bitten him. We ran to the car and headed for Watfords Grocery to use the phone. Baron kept saying "Mr. William Do not let the bird go". Daddy Kept saying "I got him I got him". Then Daddy screamed again and said "I cant hold him". Baron looked in the rear-view and said "You want that hundred dollars, you better hold that bird". The next thing Daddy said is "I think I broke its wing". We called the people and they lived at the landing so we went back to the landing. When we got there Greg Plummer and his wife were standing there with a bird cage. She was crying she was so happy. We gave them the bird and they gave us 99$. Dad said "Thank you and its wing maybe hurt". We left and started splitting the money up. Baron only wanted the money back for the beer. Thats the kind of friend Baron was.
    Now I am the only one who can tell the story So I did. God is great.

thank you will

Thank you Will, for taking care of Daddy. For being there when he needed anything. Or just to know that someone was there for him, loved him, cared about him, was thinking about him. When he needed a friend.
You did all of this, Will. Sometimes you were the only one. You are a great son. Even when we were all against you, you still looked out for Daddy. When everyone else wrote him off, you wouldn't do it. I love you so much for that. I owe you so much for that. Because of you I know Daddy was taken care of.
At the time I thought you were so wrong but you were so right. No one ever gives you credit for doing what no one else would, what had to be at times a really hard thing to do. It's not one of those things people can say "Oh, anyone else in his shoes would have done the same." I was sort of in your shoes, and I wouldn't have done what you did for Daddy.
I really don't know how you did it. But I want to thank you and tell you that I admire you and respect you a lot for doing what I couldn't, wouldn't, and didn't.

Please make a Donation in lieu of flowers.

Every little bit helps. This is how we make a difference.

Please leave a comment here.

This is for everyone to share their thoughts on William H Turner. Prayers, stories or goodbyes are welcome.

Cancer Kills

Cancer Kills. This is why early detection is key. Men and women need to be screened. Please get checked. For people with out insurance go to the hospital and make them test you. I am currently in the early stages of my effort to assist in solving a lot of these problems. Soon there will be a link for ways you can help. The one thing you can do is get checked out and live healthier. Use water filters on tap water things like that.

different drum

sorry in advance for typos and errors, everyone!

daddy was a special person for so many reasons. he did things his way, lived to have fun, did everything to the max, no apologies. i am proud to say he is my dad. i am so grateful i can look in the mirror and see his face in mine.
he was a simple person who didnt need much to live and be happy, even though he was capable of having material posessions if he wanted. he made the most out of things. he placed value and importance on the things that mattered. moments with the people he loved. laughing. helping out the people around him, sticking up for them and sticking by them.
he was not perfect at all, but he knew all along what it usually takes a lifetime to figure out. that new cars, clothes, jewels, phones, one-upping each other... thats not important. we are. you are. how we treat each other is. he accepted us even though he didnt agree with the things we did, or what was important to us. he had a big heart.
i wish more people, including myself, had a bigger heart. i wish i would have shown him the same acceptance, and everyone else who has the nerve to march to their own drummer. and i thank every single person who did love my dad, accepted my dad, and helped him or made him smile or laugh or happy, from the bottom of my heart.
his daughter, LeeAnn Turner

William H Turner( This is a work in progress)

     William was the type of person that was complicated. He didn't have just one side. He was born in Charleston SC in 1951. The first son of Rev. William H Turner, and Navy lieutenant. Bernice H Turner of Andrews SC. William moved a lot being the son of a Preacher. He spent some of is early youth in a place called Sandy Bay. He spoke fondly of this time.  He remembered shaking Mason jars of buttermilk on the porch.
     After some time in NC the family moved to Andrews SC. Andrews is located near the coast on HW 521. A small town with pride. Strong Christian community. A place entrenched in the deep southern problems of the time. His life was pretty simple for the most part. Fishing in Black River and horse ridding were two of his favorite activities. Family, friends,fishing, and fighting is mix in a little sports church and school. Well a lot of church. He loved the lord that value was instilled in him at an early age. P.H. church in Andrews was where they worshiped. A place full of the spirit. His Granddad owned a farm that he spent a lot of time on. He loved the old way of life, livin off the land.
         At age 14 he attended Marion Military Academe in AL. He excelled in the military environment. After Military School he moved back to Andrews. He attended Winyah Academe in Georgetown. After graduating from high school he moved to Myrtle Beach. He enrolled at Coastal Carolina. This is where he started getting in trouble.
        This was a unique time in our history, Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam, leaders assassinated. Well William made a big mistake hangin with people who were lost. He ended up in prison for four years. I will not get into the nature of the crime. I will just say it lead him to USC where he attended while in prison. He was a AA Trustee and drove the inmates on work release and then went to class. Eventually he  was released. That is around the time he met Kay Turner in Columbia S.C..

I am in the process of starting a not for profit.

Tentatively named, TurnerCares. My goal is to help the homeless, the sick the needy,children, people in need. By providing food,blankets,water, transportation,  and one day shelter. I have already started my efforts. Thank you for any ideas and or support.

GIVE

Give your time and coin, give your labor for your neighbor.

Give your passion, and compassion.

Give love and you surly will be blessed.

Do what you can to help someone.
Because you are certainly Blessed

The First Step

     Is for everyone to try. We can try to make peoples lives better. If it is only a smile or a kind word. It may be giving someone a ride to the store. It could be helping with money or supply's. It could be anything that has a positive effect on someone. Like in the Gulf spill we must try to stop the leak and we must clean up as much as we can. This catastrophe will destroy the region if we let it. It is on us to do what WE can.
      This is how I view homelessness, It shouldn't take place. Elderly,sick,children, Should be our first priorities. These are the weakest of the weak