Arleta June Turner
June 2, 1936 ~ September 8, 2020
Arleta June (Wirth) Turner was born June 2, 1936 at Burns Lake, British Columbia, Canada, to Joe and Inez Wirth. Arleta passed away Sept. 8, 2020 in Albany, Oregon, at the age of 84.
The Wirth family – Joe, Inez, Harold, Lewis and Arleta – moved from Burns Lake to Medical Springs in 1936. In 1938, her little brother Albert was born. Arleta was raised on the family ranch and went to Blue Mountain Grade School, where she was terrorized by her future husband, Roger Turner. While attending Baker High School, Arleta and Roger began dating and became engaged. Post High School, Arleta graduated from Baker Business College, and attended classes at Treasure Valley Community College and Chemeketa Community College. Roger and Arleta married, on June 13, 1953, in Baker, Oregon. They purchased Roger’s grandfather’s ranch at Medical Springs, where they raised their three children: Lanna, Kellie and Bret.
After leaving the ranch in 1973, they moved to Baker. While in Baker, Arleta worked at a local clothing store: Dee Clark’s, until Roger accepted a job in Nyssa, Oregon. After moving to Nyssa, Arleta worked at the Vale Livestock Auction for many years. Once Roger became too ill to work, she stayed home to care for him. During this time Arleta became involved in local Nyssa city politics. She worked to help create local economic development and to bring living wage jobs to the area. She served on various Malheur County boards, on the Nyssa City Council and as the mayor of Nyssa during the 1980s. In 1996, Arleta decided to move to the Willamette Valley to pursue a change in career. She worked as a real estate agent for John L Scott Realty in Lebanon, Oregon, where she also resided, until health issues (strokes) required her to be placed in an assisted living facility in Albany, Oregon.
Arleta’s children provided her with grandchildren. Lanna married Dick Johnson and from this marriage, Arleta got her first grandchild, Zeb. Lanna’s second marriage to Gary Dawson gave her two additional grandchildren: Tara and JV. Kellie married Rock Harrold and from this marriage she became grandmother to Zack and Kassidy. Bret married Shelia Shuster and from this marriage, she became grandmother to Amelia and Hailee. Arleta’s grandson JV gave her two great-grandchildren, Rylen and Makenna. Zack and Rachel gave her two more great-grandchildren, Jaymin and River.
At a young age, Arleta developed a passion for camping and hunting big game. Her father had taught her how to shoot rifles and she carried on doing so into adulthood. Arleta specifically loved the Eagle Cap Mountains, where she and Roger ranged cattle and took many horseback trips into the wilderness with their friends and family. She had excellent penmanship and writing ability— often documenting the family history and sending out letters. Gardening was a lifelong hobby of hers. Her lawn was always impeccable. You could find the many turtle figurines she had been gifted by her grandchildren throughout her home and lawn. Arleta was loved and will be missed.
Arleta is preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Inez; her brother and sister-in-law Harold and Helen; brother Lewis, husband Roger; and daughter Lanna and her grandson, Zeb. She is survived by her son-in-law Gary, daughter Kellie and son-in-law Rock, son Bret and daughter-in-law Shelia; her grandchildren Tara, JV, Zack and Rachel, Kassidy, Amelia and Seth Johnson and Hailee; her great-grandchildren Rylen and Makenna and Jaymin and River.
A Poem by Arleta (1996): Need we wander in the world, Need we count each day, If we fail to venture, We will ever cease to stay, Life is quiet, Life is good, Forever in adventure, always understood.
DEATHS:
• Glen Frederiksen, 92, of Nyssa, died Sept. 25 at a local care facility. Lienkaemper Chapel, Nyssa.
• David Schweizer, 86, of Harper, died Sept. 28 at home. Lienkaemper Chapel, Vale.
• David Leon Dunbar, 85, of Payette, died Sept. 28 at home in Payette. Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Payette.
• Diane Denise Dietzel, 55, of Ontario, died Sept. 10 at home. Lienkaemper Chapel, Ontario.
• “Ginger” Virginia Maloney, 70, of Ontario, died Sept. 30 at a local assisted living facility. Lienkaemper Chapel, Ontario.
• Virginia Lopez, 44, Ontario, died Sept. 24 at a Boise Hospital. Haren-Wood Funeral Chapel, Ontario.
• John L. Echanis, 95, of Ontario, died Oct. 1 at a local assisted living facility. Lienkaemper Chapel, Ontario.
Charles E. Locey, 92, of Fruitland, died Oct. 3 at Edgewood in Fruitland. Haren-Wood Funeral Chapel, Ontario.
Lela Irene Medairy, 90, of Ontario, died Oct. 2 at a local care facility. Lienkaemper Chapel, Onatrio.
LEARN HOW TO PLACE AN OBITUARY: Contact Autumn Butler, Enterprise office manager, at [email protected] or call 514-473-3377.