Alice Melvina (Pinnell) Turner, 91, of Hillsboro died Nov. 9, 2019, in Hillsboro. Mrs. Turner was born Nov. 30, 1927, in Swedeborg, the daughter of the late William Edward and Laura Rose (Hodge) Pinnell. She attended the Fletcher one-room schoolhouse through the eighth grade and graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1945. She later earned an associate degree, and worked in the small arms factory in St. Louis before returning to Fletcher to teach at the grade school, where she helped organize and taught the first kindergarten class in the Hillsboro area. She was a member of the Hillsboro First Baptist Church, working in the church’s day care center, and was a member of the Louisiana Purchase Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Modern Seekers of Hillsboro. She enjoyed camping and being involved with her community and church. She was preceded in death by her husband: David E. Turner.
She is survived by two sons: Donald G. (Vivian) Turner of Rolla and John D. Turner of Hillsboro; a daughter: Debra K. (Jim) Dollar of Bloomsdale; two grandsons: David (Erin) Turner of Raytown and Drew (Qian Yang) Huskey of St. Louis; two granddaughters: Meggan (Mike) Toombs of Arnold and Katrina Edwards of St. Louis; 10 great-grandchildren: Kaitlyn, Lauren, Madison, McGowan, Mason, Cameron, Zoe, Maxwell, Thaddeus and Weston; three great-great-grandchildren: Benjamin, Mila and Kenna; and numerous other family members and friends.
She was preceded in death by four brothers: William “Asa” Pinnell, Joseph “Archie” Pinnell, Rolen Pinnell and John Edward Pinnell; and a sister: Gladys Brinley.
Visitation is scheduled from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Robert D. Brown Funeral Home, 103 Fourth St., in Hillsboro. A funeral service will be held at 11 a. m. Friday, Nov. 15, at the funeral home. Burial will follow in the Hillsboro Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist church of Hillsboro or to any Alzheimer’s charity. Arrangements are under the direction of Robert D. Brown Funeral Home.