Obituary of Verba Lee Jones Turner October 13, 1919-May 6, 2025

Verba Lee Jones Turner

October 13, 1919 - May 6, 2025

Verba Lee Jones Turner, of Nederland, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on May 6, 2025, at the amazing age of 105. She was born October 13, 1919, and grew up on a small farm in the Zerath Community, just north of Kirbyville, Texas. When asked to what she attributed her long life, she would answer, “I was raised on country sunshine.” And that would be followed by, “God has been good to me all my life!”

She was part of a large family that included eight brothers and five sisters, the children of David Jones and Iola Hawthorne Jones, all who predeceased her. She was proud that they held an annual family reunion for over 80 years, bringing together multiple generations of descendants who knew attendance was important and expected.

She was also predeceased by her husband of 73 years, Walter Herbert Turner, a World War ll Veteran and US Navy retiree. As his wife, she lived on both the east and the west coast of the United States before they retired back home in Texas. On the subject of the difficulties of being a Navy wife, she would quote the King James Version of Philippians 4:11, “I have learned, whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Pun intended.

Verba Lee reared three children who survive her; Barney H. Turner and wife, Dawn, of St. George, Utah; Becky Turner Bray and husband, Bob, of Keller, Texas; and Ginger Turner Cooper, of Nederland, Texas. She is also survived by seven grandchildren; Stacey Turner Belnap (Scott), Herb Turner (Krista Jo), Gary Turner, Amy Bray Collett (Ted), Rachel Bray Johnson (Jared), Maggie Bray Junior (Andrew), and Leah Moore Vara (Manny); numerous great-grands and great-great-grands; as well as many nieces and nephews.

She loved her church family at First Baptist Nederland and for many years was active in her ladies Sunday School class and in the Silvertones Choir. One of her favorite things to do was to work in her yard and her beautiful flower beds were the envy of the neighborhood. Perhaps the top of her list of favorite hobbies was taking and collecting pictures, earning her the nickname of “Fuji Grandma.” (You’d have to remember the Fuji film to understand that.) She left hundreds of thousands of photos in frames, albums, boxes, and bags.

Verba Lee was blessed with loving, professional assistants from Montebello Home Care and then, more recently, at Advocates House, a residential care home in Port Neches, Texas. She often said, “I am well cared for!”

Verba Lee loved planning and hosting parties where balloons were always a necessity. A final celebration of her life will begin with visitation at 1:00 p.m., and her funeral service to follow 2:00 p.m., Monday, May 12, 2025, at Broussard’s, 505 North 12th Street, Nederland. Her interment will follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park, Port Neches.