Leonard Turner passed away peacefully on Wednesday January 3, 2024. Born March 13, 1925 he was 98. Loving husband to Kathleen Turner, who passed December 9, 1997.
Born in Shawforth Lancashire England to Amos and Minnie, Leonard grew up with three brothers, Fred, Ron, Eric and one sister Barbara in the town of Whitworth England.
He is survived by his two sons, Phillip Turner, husband to Teresa and grandchildren, Wesley Turner and Ashley Turner.
And Brian Turner, husband to Beth and grandchildren, Kevin Turner, Matthew Turner, Andrew Turner. Leonard had seven great-grandchildren.
With the outbreak of WW II Leonard joined the British Army at age 18 and proudly served in the Lancashire Regiment as a foot soldier. He returned home to join the Army School of Physical Training in Aldershot where he became an instructor and rose to the rank of Sargent…he went on to be the first Army Instructor assigned to Sandhurst Military College. Leonard completed two tours of duty with the 6th
Regiment of the Kings African Rifles / KAR in Kenya where he became fluent in Swahili and was known to be fair and honest when dealing with the African soldiers in his charge.
In 1961 the Turners emigrated to the United States and he worked at Valley Forge Military Academy, a British Drill Sargent and Physical Training Officer. He went on to be the physical director for the Upper Main Line YMCA. He eventually started Len Turner’s Gymnastics School in Bryn Mawr.
Known to all as outgoing and generous, he was quick to bring a smile to everyone’s face. By all accounts a happy man, indeed. An avid golfer, he spent his retirement years in Phoenix, Arizona.
He will be missed by family, friends and by all who were fortunate enough to have made his acquaintance.