Wallace Barry Turner's Obituary
In Loving Memory of the Reverend Doctor Wallace Barry Turner, Captain USN, (Retired).
On May 9, 2026, Wallace Turner went to his savior in heaven at the age of 90. Papa Wally was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend and minister whose friendly spirit, sense of humor, and love for all people touched so many.
Growing up in a small lake town near Pontiac, Michigan he knew by the age of fourteen that he wanted to be a Pastor. From this divine calling he never wavered. He attended Concordia Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, and served as a vicar (student Pastor) in Waterloo, Iowa where he met and soon married the love of his life, Beverly. He felt a duty to serve in the military and after training, moved from Tacoma, Washington where he had established a new mission congregation to begin active military service as a Navy Chaplain in southern California. Soon after, he was assigned to care for Marines in combat in Vietnam.
His Naval career took him and his family all over the mainland United States and Hawaii, serving several tours with Marines, extended deployments aboard ships and culminating in an assignment as the Service Force Pacific Chaplain. Captain Turner retired from active duty in 1992 after 26 years of distinguished service, decorated with many honors, awards and medals.
Following his Navy Retirement, he served for nine years as the Assistant Pastor of Pilgrim Lutheran church in Chula Vista, California and then finished his ministry promoting Concordia University, Irvine traveling to congregations in the Pacific Southwest District providing information on the school’s mission to potential students and donors.
He made one last professional pastoral appearance in 2022, traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada to baptize his great-granddaughter Eden Lorene Fowler.
Wally was known for his kindness, corny jokes, and his social energy. He loved water sports, handball and racquetball, fishing, hunting, golf, and tinkering in his garage.
Wally was preceded in death by his daughter Susan and is survived by his wife of 66 years, Beverly; his two sons, Daniel (Marcia) and Brian (Paola), grandchildren Nathan, Hunter (Gary), Austin and Kyle and great-granddaughter Eden. He will be deeply missed but lives on forever in heaven and in the hearts and minds of all those he touched here on earth.
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