Henry Paul Turner

Mr. Henry Paul Turner was born June 12, 1928, in Dahlonega, Ga., to John Wesley and Maud McDonald Turner. He joined older siblings Ruby and John "Ed" Turner. Henry's father died when he was 1 year old and this had a significant impact on his path in life. He spent the majority of his childhood living with his grandparents and aunts and uncles on the family farm and attended grammar school in the one-room schoolhouses in the Porter Springs community. He later graduated from the U.S. Military High School. Henry left home at the age of about 14 to go to work for A.G. Wimpy's construction company building an airport runway in Birmingham, Ala. He soon joined the U.S. Army near the end of World War II as an infantryman on a mortar crew in Europe. He was a veteran of World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam wars and had many adventures in his military career including being a guard at the Nuremberg trials, joining the newly formed Army Air Corps as an airplane and helicopter mechanic, spending time as a military adviser to the governments of Japan and Iran, finally serving as a first sergeant of a helicopter repair unit in Vietnam prior to his retirement. Henry had a job after he retired from the Army working on helicopters for a large company in Utah but he arrived back at his family home in Dahlonega to find his aunts and uncles in need of help. He decided to remain in Dahlonega to help care for his family, where he would remain for the rest of his life. This is but one example of how Henry was dedicated to his loved ones and would be reoccurring theme throughout his life. After retirement he was a farmer, worked for US Millwrights, and as director of security at the Air Force Nuclear Plant in Dawsonville, Ga. He was a gifted mechanic and enthusiastically shared his knowledge with people interested in learning. He loved to tell stories of his experiences in the military and in life with anyone interested. Henry was an uncle and a second father and grandfather to several of his neighbors and friends. He was a great man who could always be counted on to be there for us in good times and bad. In this, he was an excellent role model. He inspired us to seek the best education available and to live up to our full potential. He was always a source of encouragement toward reaching our goals. Henry loved and was very proud of his family and adopted family. We love him very much and will forever remember the great example he set for us and pass what we learned about life from him along so his influence will live on in us.Henry died on Sunday, Oct. 5. He was buried at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Ga., on Tuesday, Oct. 7 Arrangements by Dahlonega Funeral Home