Joan Drake Turner was born on August 4, 1925, in Griffin, GA to Richard Agustus Drake and Lucia Slade Drake. At nearly 100 years of age, she left us to be with her Lord on May 31, 2025.
Joan graduated from Meredith College with a degree in Social Work and for many years was an elementary education teacher in Vicksburg, Indianola and Yazoo City and for over 60 years was the third grade Sunday School teacher. But her heart was in the 50 plus years of service to the Lord in the Christian Service Center at First Baptist Church of Yazoo City where she was a member for 68 years.
On September 10, 1949, Joan became the loving wife of Eugene “Gene” Harrold Turner. They were the parents of two children, Eugene “Tee” Harrold Turner (Cheryl) and Ann Turner Williams (Mike). Joan was the beloved grandmother of Miranda Drake Roark, Sara Kathryn Turner and Anna Turner Newman and the great grandmother of Mari Turner Roark and James Turner Newman. She was also the aunt to a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
Joan was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Eugene “Gene” Harrold Turner, her father, Richard Agustus Drake, her mother, Lucia Slade Drake, and her sisters, Lucia “Boopa” Drake Scarano, Barbara “Bob” Drake Bagwell and Ann Drake Hughes.
Joan will be immensely missed by her family and many friends as evidenced by the numerous testimonies recently shared about her life, many of which point to her devotion to the Lord. One thought in particular that well describes Joan’s life is “may everybody get to the end of their life and be able to reflect Christ like Joan did”.
Visitation will be from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM on June 4, 2025, at First Baptist Church in Yazoo City, MS. The funeral service will be at the church at 11:00 AM with a graveside service to follow at Glenwood Cemetery in Yazoo City.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Muscular Dystrophy Association or the Huntington Disease Society of America.
