Delphine Turner's Obituary
Obituary of Delphine Turner San Diego’s Betty White, The Sweetest Smile We’ve Ever Known!
May 1, 1929- December 19, 2022
Age 93 -1/2, died in her home in Bay Park. She was born in Detroit, Michigan to Marion and Euphemia (Murawski) Golembiewski. Loving mother of Michael (Cheryl) Turner, Lynne Ruttkay, John Turner (predeceased 12/9/2022) and Kelly Costa. Adoring grandmother of Justin, Broc, Tanner, Steven, Ashley, Shannon, Trevor, Hayley, Chris, Breanne Turner and multiple beautiful great grandchildren. She Cherished her family in Michigan including her late sisters Helen (Wallace Gajewski), Regina (Edward) Pawlowski, Camille (Arthur) Skorupski and beloved cousins Charlene (Mike) Polulak and Dennis (Joanne) Pawlowski and she was an aunt and great aunt to many.
Delphine “Deli” is known for her love for all children, bright smile, her passion for music,love for animals and mostly her dedication to her Catholic faith and her family.
Born during the depression of 1929, in her parents’ home located in Detroit Michigan, along with her sisters Helen, Regina, Camille and Henrietta who passed away at a very young age from the measles. Delphine was raised in a Polish Catholic community and she was bilingual at a very young age.
Her parents immigrated to the United States individually without their own parents from Warsaw, Poland on a ship called the Bathory bringing them to Ellis Island when they were just of shy 16 years young.
In Delphine’s early years she enjoyed ice-skating and roller skating with her sisters and her lifelong best friends Gerry and Mary, Polish weddings, cooking Polish food with her mother and doing chores for her parents. Her mother was a homemaker and her father retired from Henry Ford Motor Company. She grew up in a loving joyful home with varied trades, her family has a background in the motor industry as engineers, laborers, including a sister who retired as a sewer for General Motors, a sister who was the Executive Assistant for the Detroit Tigers and retired from the State, another sister who was a talented hairstylist, Pianist and homemaker. After high school Delphine became a stenographer at the Detroit County Court house where she met her husband Les Turner Jr., the father of her four children, Michael, Lynne, John and Kelly.
In 1963, a Military wife she had to leave her beloved family in Detroit and move to San Diego California due to her husband’s failing health, as a disabled veteran he needed warm dry climate. Delphine was now a young wife and caregiver to five people solely responsible for her husbands medical and personal care, and the complete care of their four young children until her husband regained his sight after a 10-year illness. Her mother had just passed away months prior while she was pregnant with her youngest daughter Kelly. Delphine’s love for her family and faith in God gave her the courage and strength to face and overcome all of life’s challenges. She was truly an amazing woman!
Delphine built a new community in San Diego at The Church of St. Mary Magdalene. Volunteering for her church over 60 years, she continued her commitment to the Catholic Daughters and volunteering for the church until she faced a terminal illness.
Delphine was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a grapefruit and causing her to have had a craniotomy in the late 70s. Once again, she faced this and shared her experience with others including a legendary San Diego radio personality who was diagnosed with a similar tumor in a positive manner with the focus being HOPE! She is a survivor!
After a heartbreaking divorce in the 80s and an empty nest, Deli decided to go to work and became a cafeteria manager at Pacific Beach Elementary where she retired, she also worked with Mission Bay High School from time to time. She loved children of all ages and got a kick out of the troublemakers. Delphine worked with Sandy, the actor George Burns daughter and laughed daily with the children. This is where she met one of her closest friends Delores. Delphine would often buy the children their lunches when they couldn’t afford to or if they forgot their money and she bought multiple hats, raincoats, brushes etc. for children whose parents needed a little support. This was an unsaid gift for the kid’s wellbeing, many of those children send cards to Deli to this day. .
Delphine adored her grandchildren and went out of her way to create unforgettable experiences for each of them. From horse and carriage rides to making multiple personalized gifts for them. She knew how to bring magical happiness to every grandchild individually. This was one of her favorite jobs, to be a grandma!
Later in life, Delphine enjoyed retirement, travels, dancing, laughing, meeting new people, helping others, volunteering at the church, a dedicated Kearny Mesa Moose Lodge member and her family’s social planner! “. You’re working too hard, you need to have fun, get out and listen to music and dance, it will make your life happy”, are words she said regularly. She found a new home at the Kearny Mesa Moose Lodge and has embraced the members and cherished the many friends and joyful experiences from Halloween to the annual New Year’s Eve Celebration. Traditions were important to Delphine, and she loved holidays and hosting celebrations on her deck for all family and friends to enjoy. For many years she would meet her sisters in San Francisco visit wine country and drive down the coast of California. This was an annual tradition! In the summers, she would visit her sisters annually, they were very close sisters.
Delphine traveled Poland more than once to visit family and her parents’ hometown, her son John took her to Catalina Island annually, and she absolutely adored driving down to Ortegas in Mexico, she loved Puerto Vallarta and Rosarita and had no fear! She loved the culture, the people, the food and one Cadillac Margarita! Her fun filled life always included her children, a cowboy, an artist, a spa business professional and an entrepreneur / drummer. She was the mother of an original RATT, Mickey RATT drummer, and she traveled to Vegas to see Willie Nelson and Elvis and was the first to know when someone she liked was coming in concert.
Everywhere Delphine went, she met a new friend(s), her favorites later in life were Desert Springs Marriott Resort in Palm Desert, her manicurist Rose, Casa Guadalajara Mariachis, Ihop (we think she should’ve been in commercials), Mission Bay to people watch, The Hotel Del, Nordstrom, Wineries, Catalina, and visiting her children. She would hope you will dance to her favorite bands the Mariachis, The Shenanigans, Flipside, Farm Truck and The Farmers
Most of all, Delphine loved her family in Michigan and California and eventually spread to other states. Her love for her sisters, her parents, cousins Charlene and Dennis and their families, her friends in Michigan truly were valued and treasured. Her love for her four children Mike Turner (Cheryl), Lynne Ruttkay, John Turner deceased just ten days prior December 9, 2022, Stage Four DLBCL Double Hit Lymphoma and Kelly Costa and multiple grandchildren and greatgrandchildren was second to none and what gave her life!
Grandchildren
Michael Turner: Steven, Ashley, Shannon, Trevor, Hayley
Lynne Ruttkay: Justin
- John Turner (Deceased December 9, 2022): Christopher and Breanne
Kelly: Broc and Tanner
We hope you will honor your own life for our Brown Eyed Girl , who loved to dance like a Dancing Queen to Pennsylvania Polka with a Melody of Love while Rolling out the Barrel, on a Green River, by a Burning Ring of Fire, while singing the Lords Prayer, On the Road Again while Taking it Easy, and have a little Sugar Sugar, and as she would say, “ Save the Last Dance for me!”
A special thank you to Casa Guadalajara Mariachi band and Jorge, Hugo, iHop Pacific Beach, Rose Nails Bay Park, Dee, Janine and Doug, Dennis, Cindy, Marti, Caesar, Elaine, Paula, The Shenanigans, Joe Lozano, Father Brian, The Kearny Mesa Moose Lodge, Apreva Hospice, Susy, Vanessa and Samantha for the care you showed our darling mom.
We are grateful to Noriah for consistently showing up and playing music every Friday for the past 12 months and the Eucharistic Ministers of St. Mary Magdalene who visited our mom every Sunday.
Thank you Yessenia who gracefully assisted Delphine. Susy who cared for Delphine for over 3 years and also was caregiver to Delphine's son John Turner.
What’s your fondest memory of Delphine?
What’s a lesson you learned from Delphine?
Share a story where Delphine's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Delphine you’ll never forget.
How did Delphine make you smile?