Gail Turner

Gail Louise McCulley Turner, 76, of Boiling Springs, SC, died Friday, June 20, 2014, at her home. Gail was born July 29, 1937, in Parkville, Baltimore County, Maryland, to Robert and Jonnie Cornell McCulley. Under her mother's love and guidance, Gail became skilled at piano, ballet, and numerous forms of needlecraft. After taking music lessons throughout her childhood and teenaged years, Gail studied at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland. Upon retiring from the Washington, DC, area to Spartanburg in 2003, Gail studied piano for nine years at Converse College under the guidance of Julia Eldred. She loved her music, her teacher, and Converse. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Spartanburg. Gail had taken classes in weaving and enjoyed embroidery, but her passion was knitting. She was a member of the Washington, DC, Chapter of the Embroiderers Guild of America. She loved to study patterns, loved the color and feel of yarn. Her eyes would twinkle and her face would glow in the evenings when she would look across from her chair and exclaim. "Look what I've done!" It might have been a shawl, a baby's cap or sweater, sometimes socks. Gail leaves behind a son, Eliott Davison Turner, a wonderful daughter-in-law Audrey, and two adorable granddaughters, Brianna and Haley. Gail did not give birth until relatively late in life, and from the moment he entered the world Davis was a brilliant, shining light in his mother's world and remained such even at her final breath. Finally, Gail leaves behind her husband of nearly 40 years, Jack. The two of them met in an Arthur Murray Ballroom Dance Studio in Baltimore, Maryland, on Labor Day September of 1974. Before the end of October they had fallen in love. On January 10, 1975, they married. Gail was, and still is, his guiding light. Gail and Jack were, are, and will forever be best friends. Also surviving are her nephew, Robert McCulley of Woodbine, MD; and niece, Sandy Koontz of McLean, VA. She was predeceased by her brothers, Robert McCulley, Lloyd McCulley, and Patrick McCulley; her sister, Shirley Cornell Gesswein; and brother-in-law, Forrest Gesswein. Visitation will be 10:00-10:45 AM Tuesday, June 24, 2014 in the Parlor at First Presbyterian Church, 393 E. Main St., Spartanburg, SC 29302. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 AM, at First Presbyterian Church, conducted by the Rev. Joanne Hull. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home, 686 Jeff Davis Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29303; or Gibbs Cancer Center SRHS Foundation, 101 East Wood Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303. The family is at the home. Floyd's North Church Street Chapel To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Gail Louise "McCulley" Turner please visit our Sympathy Store.