Michelle Pickett introduce herself; relationship to Mrs. Turner (teacher/student)

EULOGY/JA NELL TURNER

Ja Nell was born and given the name Linda Ja Nell Seagler, but her parents called her by her second name. (Which she found to be confusing in her adult life.)  She was born in Littlefield, Texas on October 13, 1939 to Reagan and Essie Seagler. She spent her first 18 years on the farm in the rural area of the high plains of Texas west of Lubbock. Her life there was shared with her parents, older brother Charles and sisters Sandra and Nelda.
 
She often referred to the time in which she grew as a time of learning about God, life and hard work as the family worked together to create a livelihood raising cotton. Her teen years in the 50’s were referred to as very special times when life seemed uncomplicated and the wonder of a changing world of rock and roll and cruising Chevy’s was fascinating. She loved going to the rural school, where there were only 13 in her graduating class. Bula High School was a special place, and everyone took pride in being a Bula Bulldog. Your classmates were more like an extended family, because you grew up together and everyone was a part of the things that make school enjoyable. Besides classroom work, they all had to work to produce a school paper, yearbook, be in the school dramas, participate in Future Farmers and Homemakers of America and play team sports. Students came away with a well-rounded experience. She loved to play basketball, and it was a big part of her life in high school.

Ja Nell married Terry Turner in Lubbock, Texas on June 10, 1961. They met on the campus of Eastern New Mexico University where they both attended. She said it was love at first sight for her. Shortly after they were married, they moved to Las Cruces so that Terry could finish his degree at New Mexico State University. Several times in their life together she brought up the idea that he should move her back to her beloved Texas, but their jobs were established in New Mexico and in later years her Las Cruces family, especially those precious granddaughters, kept them in New Mexico. Part of the years Ja Nell and Terry were together was spent traveling around the world. A special part of the their years was spent sharing the art, craft and work in the photography business. Many times Terry would refer to Ja Nell as his crowd controller, which meant she worked with clients in group situations while he worried about the logistics of the camera. I think her classroom experience paid off in this respect. The 63 years she spent with Terry were eventfuI, and challenging, but their love and commitment kept them together.

Las Cruces Public secondary schools for 26 yrs. She loved teaching and working with students, believing that teaching was her calling. She tried to instill in students to do their best in their studies and encouraged and supported them in their extra curricular activities. They knew she would be in her Las Cruces High School red and blue cheering for the Bulldawgs. Some of her greatest moments over her last few years was when she met with or ran into a former student and visited with them. It gave her great pleasure to have them share what was going on in their life now. She would always tell her students “You are a note in my melody of life”, which was a theme taken from the movie ‘Mr. Holland’s Opus’. A movie about a teacher, which she tearfully watched at least once a year. She kept in touch with several of her students and shared in their lives.

Ja Nell is preceded in death by her parents Reagan and Essie Seagler, brother Charles Seagler, and brother-in-law Wayne Herrington.

Ja Nell is survived by her husband Terry Turner of Las Cruces, NM, son Ron Turner of Maui, HI, daughter Kelly Woods and husband Robert of Las Cruces, NM, three granddaughters Krystal Nicole Marquez and husband Richard of La Mesa, NM, Rebecca Woods of Albuquerque, NM and Annette Arnold of Colorado Springs, CO and three great-granddaughters Sofia Marquez of La Mesa, NM, Isabella Arnold of Tucson, AZ and Aaliyah Arnold of Colorado Springs, CO. 

Ja Nell spoke of her job as Mother as being one of the hardest tasks given to her, (you don’t have an instructor’s manual), yet she loved and cherished her children. She added that the years of their infancy, childhood and teens passed too quickly. She said you are so busy with life and one day you realize they are grown. She was filled with memories of the little boy Ron who had two questions on Sunday morning, “Are we staying for big church?” and “Do I have to wear my Sunday shoes?” or Kelly and her cousin Karan singing that endless song ‘B-I-N-G-O was his nameo’. She always tried to make sure Kelly and Ron knew how much she loved them. Then when Robert joined the family he had a special place in her heart. Being a grandmother was an enormous added blessing in her life. She spent a great deal of time with them and loved being a Nana and Great Nana. Being in the photo business always gave way to presenting new pictures of them. She and Terry didn’t wait for “Kodak moments” they invented them. She was accused once of not only having albums of her granddaughters to show you, but it might be possible she had a generator in the trunk of her car to power videos of them.

Ja Nell is also survived by her two sisters, Sandra Herrington of Winnsboro, TX and Nelda Lane and husband Royce of Celina, TX, sister-in-laws Elaine Seagler of Boyd, TX  and Adrienne Taylor and husband Benny of Portales, NM.  Her comment made many times
was “I wished I was closer to my siblings and their families”. She always thought that Elaine, Wayne and Royce were special and she quoted her mother by saying “They were special because they loved and put up with the flaws of my brother and sisters.” One of the treasures of growing up was spending time with family. Not only her siblings, but also aunts and uncles. Ja Nell’s nieces and nephews also had a special place in her heart as they entered her life. She made opportunities to visit them from the time they were young to the time they made their adult path in life.  She also had a special place in her heart for the precious great nieces and nephews they brought into her life to love. Each one of them was special in their own way, sharing a unique relationship with her and each having their own stories about this person they called Aunt Ja. 

Ja Nell loved the blessing of friendships. She was privileged to add friends as she progressed through life. Her childhood friends enriched her life, and her college friends helped her make some major decisions about life. As an adult, her friends from work and church filled a place in her heart, which she treasured. In her retirement years she connected with those she met at her Monday morning Bible study and the Emmaus community. She referred to all of these friends as her gifts. 

All of the information previously shared is about Ja Nell’s worldly life. If she were here today, she would remind all of us of what is more important. Her message would be to tell you that the greatest achievement we can have is knowing God’s love, accepting the gift of his Son and then sharing it with the world. At age 12 she accepted that gift and worked at being His servant to others throughout her life. She loved to attend worship, study and teach the Bible. She knew that she gained strength daily by reading God’s word, praying and serving him in the places He had designed for her to serve and work. She would add, that the Bible tells us that “only what we do for Christ will last” and that life here is short and passes like a vapor.