Astoria

Feb. 9, 1938 — Sept. 21, 2022

Surrounded by his loving family at his side, Ben Turman passed away peacefully at the age of 84 on Sept. 21.

Ben was born in Wister, Oklahoma, to Bill and Helen Turman. At the age of 2, the family moved to Washington state while his father worked on the Grand Coulee Dam until its completion in 1942, and then settled in Southern California.

He graduated from South Gate High School in 1956. Upon graduation, he started his lifelong career with the Bell Telephone Co./AT&T until his retirement in 1999. Ben also served in the California National Guard from 1957 to 1964.

He met the love of his life, Shirley Hart, while he was in high school. He proposed to her on the day of her high school graduation, June 18, 1959, and they married the following year on June 18, 1960. They were married 59 years until her passing on June 20, 2019.

At a young age he discovered his love of books, especially science fiction. He enjoyed coin collecting, and would spend hours looking through bags of coins for a rare gem. He also enjoyed playing fast pitch softball, bowling and spending time at the beach with Shirley and their friends, scuba and free diving for fish and lobster.

In search of a better place to raise their children, they moved from Southern California to Astoria in 1972.

Ben was very active in the Telephone Pioneers and was also a member of both the Elks and Moose Lodges. He continued bowling for many years, both in men’s leagues and in mixed doubles leagues with Shirley.

He was an avid outdoorsman who loved clam digging, going out on the Columbia River fishing and taking his grandchildren to scavenge his favorite island. He enjoyed his annual trips with his friends deer and elk hunting in Eastern Oregon, bass fishing tournaments at Lake Shasta, California, and getting together with friends for poker nights.

Ben and Shirley both enjoyed going to the Pendleton Round-Up rodeo, and did so for almost 30 years. They both also loved Disneyland, and for 50 years visited the park annually. After retirement they both enjoyed traveling, cruises and visiting family.

He was preceded in death by his wife, parents and sister, Brenda.

He is survived by his brother, Harold (Jane); sister, MaryLou (Bob); his three daughters, Becky Worrell (Geoff), Sherry Curtis (Jeff) and Susan Peart (John); grandchildren, Kevin, Kristin and Katie Loomis, Amber Houck (Wes), Nick Worrell, Jeromy Rowland (Rachel), Devin Jasper (Kelsey) and Mark and Kelly Peart; 12 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews.

His family would like to give special thanks to his neighbors, Mike Johnson, Ed and Tamie McCorkle and Barbie Jenkins, who kept an eye out for him, as well as the wonderful staff with Providence Home Health North Coast and Lower Columbia Hospice of Astoria.

Per his wishes, there will be no funeral service. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.