Ida Mae Turner

Ida Mae (Friemuth) Turner, 102, died peacefully on September 16, 2022, in Byron, Illinois. She was surrounded by her loving family.  Ida was born March 20, 1920 in Rockford township of Winnebago County, the daughter of John and Pearl (Capes) Friemuth.  She grew up on the farm and learned work values at an early age.  She graduated from elementary school at Mt. Morris and completed a high school course through the American Correspondence School in Chicago achieving her dream of having a high school education.

She was married to Willis Harvey Turner who came to Ogle Country as a milk tester for the University of Illinois. They established their first home in Oregon, Illinois. Two children were born to them, Janet (Gene) Stilson and Gary (Glenda) Turner.  In 1962, they moved to Macomb where Willis served as Manager of County Companies.  They relocated to Rockford in 1966, where he became a realtor, and she continued in homemaking. In 2016, Ida relocated to Oregon, Illinois and resided with Janet until her necessary admission to Neighbors in Byron in 2021.  A special thanks to the staff for their kind and competent care, and to Serenity Hospice, especially Sheila, this past several weeks.

Ida and Willis came to Christ at the Oregon Church of God Abrahamic Faith.  They also became members of the Church of God in Macomb and Rockford.  They devoted their lives to Christian service.  She was a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher, a Deaconess, and a humble janitor at the church.  She served on the Social Committees and the Board.  She also participated in school and community events.  At school she was room mother helping with book fairs, field trips and furnishing treats.

Willis and Ida were travelers throughout the US and the world including Okinawa, Israel, Bahamas and Mexico. They were part of the Church of God delegation to the Jerusalem Peace Conference hosted by Prime Minister Menachem Began in the late 1970s.

Ida was predeceased by her parents, little sister, Kathryn, her husband, brothers Raymond (Evelyn) Friemuth and Lawrence (Doris) Friemuth and brothers- in-law, Oral Miller, Jim, Mark, Lee, Les and Don Turner, and sisters-in-law, Doris and Evelyn Friemuth, Mae (Jake) Barker, Clara (Virgil) McLane, Phyllis (Les) Turner, Clare (Lee) Turner, Janet (Don) Turner.  She is survived by her children Janet (Eugene) Stilson and Gary (Glenda) Turner, sister Thelma (Oral) Miller and sister-in-law, Ruth (Mark) Turner, grandchildren Rick Stilson, Marianne Stilson and Randy (Brenda) Stilson, Jason (Marcee) Turner, Shelly (Tim) Spickler, John (Carmen) Turner, and Tera Yanni, 14 great grandchildren, great-great granddaughters Paislee Spickler and Adelaide Hubbell, and 29 nieces and nephews.

Her family and friends are invited to the visitation at Farrell Holland Gale Funeral Home on Friday, September 23, 5-7 p.m. with private graveside service on Saturday. Pastor John Railton, Granger, Indiana, a former Sunday School student of Ida will officiate.  Memorials may be directed to the Ida Mae Turner Estate.

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”  Psalms 116:16