Bob Turner

Bob Franklin Turner was born to humble beginnings in Columbia, Missouri on October 6, 1933, and passed away peacefully on October 19, 2023. He was the youngest of three children and worked hard through his school-age years and through college. He was a proud alumnus of the University of Missouri, Columbia, and he was drafted to the Army after he graduated. His first post was in St. Louis, Missouri, where he met his wife of 66 years, Mary Luella Hall. After spending a year in Seoul, Korea, he and Mary were married, and he began law school at Washington University in St. Louis. He transferred and finished law school at the University of Colorado in 1960, where he graduated with honors and was inducted into the Order of the Coif, an honor to which the top ten students in the class become eligible.

Bob was wooed to Roswell, New Mexico by Ross Malone and began his 40 plus year legal career at Atwood Malone. Bob was a member of the New Mexico Bar, as well as all levels of the federal judiciary up to the United States Supreme Court.  Thinking he was joining the Atwood law firm to practice Oil and Gas law, he was asked to assist in some litigation matters and found that he was a natural at doing so and spent the remainder of his career in litigation.  Bob tried cases in most counties in the southern part of the state and in the federal courts.  Over the years his skills became widely recognized and his services were in demand in all kinds of trial work.  He combined his intellect with tenacious attention to detail that produced successful results for his clients.  One attorney colleague at the firm has said that he would work up a case carefully and think it was ready for trial only to have Bob find at least 15 things that still should be done.  He had a reputation for integrity and a gracious professionalism that made him highly respected and a leader in the bar. He was selected for membership in the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers in 1981 and also served on the New Mexico Judicial Standards Committee.

Bob and Mary had four children, three sons, Charles, Robert and David, and a daughter, Anne Marie. Two of his children followed him in the practice of law and he enjoyed talking to them about legal issues and mentoring them in their practices. In 1988, Bob became a grandfather (“Papa”) for the first time and went on to have nine grandchildren, whom he adored. He and Mary would drive cross country for his cases and, no matter which side of the country they were in, always had to stop by Indianapolis on their way home to visit two of their grandchildren. When he was in New Mexico, he spent plenty of time with the rest of his grandchildren, teaching them to play golf, swimming with them, and sometimes even having tea parties with them. Bob was a man of strong faith in Jesus and his entire family benefited from his wisdom and prayers.

Bob is predeceased by his mother, Ruby, his sister, Betty Jo Pepper, and his son, Charles. He is survived by his wife Mary, sister, Marianne Thiel, children Robert (Linda), David, and Anne Marie Puglisi (Richard), and grandchildren Robert Franklin, Jean Marie Bukurson (Henry), Charles Jefferson, Elizabeth Caldwell (Jade), Grace Anne, Emily Christine, Jonathon Peter, Victoria Lynn, Joseph Benjamin; and great grandchildren Ellisea Sohkyan and Minan Linda Bukurson.

A memorial service for Bob will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, November 25, 2023, at Grace Community Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Gateway Christian School building fund.