Jennifer Leigh Turner - Obituary

Jennifer Leigh Turner, age 41, passed away on Thursday, May 16, 2019, with family by her side, at the T. Boone Pickens Center of Faith Presbyterian Hospice in Dallas, Texas, following a brief but fierce fight against cancer.  She was born on October 15, 1977, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Terry and Carolyn Turner. 

Jennifer was raised on the family rice farm near DeWitt, Arkansas.  She graduated in 1996 from DeWitt High School.  Like her parents and brother, she went on to study at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, serving actively in Chi Omega and earning her B.A. in Journalism in 1999.

After college, Jennifer worked as a journalist for community newspapers in Nashville, Tennessee, and Bentonville, Arkansas.  In 2007, looking for adventure, she moved to Costa Rica to teach English in a public school in the small, rural town of Potrero Grande.  It was there that Jennifer found her true passion in life – teaching.

In 2009, Jennifer moved to Dallas, Texas, and earned her teaching certificate.  She became a 5th Grade Science Teacher at DISD’s John Q. Adams Elementary School in Pleasant Grove in South Dallas.  In 2013, Jennifer was accepted to a program with Teaching Trust, a Dallas-based non-profit whose purpose is to transform education by improving schools.

In conjunction with Teaching Trust, and while still working full-time as a teacher, Jennifer earned her M.Ed. in Education Leadership with Specialization in Urban Schools from Southern Methodist University in 2015. 

Also during that period, she and 3 other inspired female educators developed a proposal for an innovative school model.  Impressed by the proposal, the Dallas ISD Board invested to bring the school to life.  In 2016, the Solar Preparatory School for Girls, an all-girls public school with a focus on science, technology, arts, engineering, and math, opened on Henderson Avenue in Dallas with Jennifer serving as Assistant Principal. 

Because of its passionate staff and students and its ground-breaking approach to social-and-emotional learning, Solar Prep quickly became a success and earned a national reputation.  Jennifer played critical roles in all aspects of the school’s development.  She was adored by her students, appreciated by parents, and respected by her colleagues.  Known for her work ethic, encouragement, and hugs, Jennifer epitomized what it means to be a Solar Fierce Female.

Jennifer is survived by her parents who reside in DeWitt, Arkansas; by her brother Chris Turner, sister-in-law and close friend Suzanne, and adoring nephew Whit and niece Emory, of Dallas, Texas; and by beloved extended family. Also playing tremendous roles in her life were the 51 staff, 455 girls, and numerous parents and supporters of Solar Prep; and her cherished friends, classmates, and former colleagues around the globe.

A graveside service for family only will be held at Cedarcrest Memorial Park in DeWitt, Arkansas, on Wednesday, May 22, at 1:30pm, followed by a public reception from 3:00-5:00pm at the Community Room of the Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas in DeWitt.  A Celebration of Life event open to all friends, family, colleagues, and others who were touched by Jennifer will be held at the Solar Preparatory School for Girls in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, May 25, at 2:00pm.

The family has designated the Jennifer Turner Scholarship Fund of the non-profit Friends of Solar Prep for memorial contributions (www.friendsofsolarprep.org/jennifer-turner-scholarship-fund).

Some bright morning when this life is over, I’ll fly away

Well, that bright morning has come.  Jenn passed away peacefully early this morning with family by her side and fully feeling the love that you were sending her way.

When she last posted, she was racing with all her might to beat her cancer.  She even seemed to be gaining ground as she had her most promising MD Anderson visit just last week.  But, it’s now clear the cancer had been given too much of a head start.  As is sometimes the case in life, this wasn’t a fair race – had it been, the cancer wouldn’t have stood a chance.

The time for farewells and final to-dos came faster than our hopeful minds had ever expected.  Thankfully, although bittersweet, the most important things got done.  Well, except for one – Jenn never got around to writing her last blog post.  As a family, we wanted to share a final installment, so here it goes.

Jenn had so many friends and family that she adored, including many of you reading this.  Your relationships were forged in places from DeWitt to Dallas, Fayetteville to Nashville, Potrero Grande to Pleasant Grove, SMU to Solar, and all points in between.  So many of you shared your love and well-wishes with Jenn and our family through calls, texts, emails, posts, videos, visits, acts of support, and prayers.  Jenn was deeply touched by each one and loved each of you.

With her Solar Prep family, including staff, students, parents, and supporters, Jenn kept loving and leading until the end.  You were her pride and joy.  You have collectively created a school and a model for education that is life-changing for all involved.  You are each so talented and passionate – you have what it takes to use Solar as a springboard to change the world.  Jenn’s expectation for you is to do nothing short of just that.  Thanks to you all for expressing your love and appreciation to Jenn – she was honored and humbled by your outpouring.

For our family, as hard as this journey has been, we will cherish the memories.  Mom and Dad are so proud of Jenn and love her without limit.  They have been there for her through thick and thin, from birth to death.  They took care of their baby so well in this battle.  My wife, Suzanne, was like a rock for Jenn – when none of us knew what to do or how to do it, Suzanne took control.  Finally, my children, Whit and Emory, have been so brave – they’re losing not only their aunt, but their best friend.  Yet, their hugs, laughter, and adoration never stopped – they were fuel for Jenn’s engine.

We’ll have time at upcoming celebrations to appreciate Jenn’s impact and to reminisce about good times with her.  So, I won’t write about that here.  Instead, I’ll close by sharing a little bit of Jenn with you.  On her last day of lucidity, she gave me three books to give to Whit and Emory.  Jenn had a passion for the written word, and these were Jenn’s favorite books from her childhood.  Jenn hoped that by sharing them with my kids, they will have a connection that lasts forever.  Below is one quote from each book.  In combination, they sum up for me who Jenn was and how she would want us to think about her farewell.  Rest in peace, Jenn.

“When you come on something that is good, first thing to do is share with whoever you can find; that way the good spreads out to where no telling it will go” 

The Education of Little Tree, Forrest Carter

“How can the dead be truly dead when they still live in the souls of those who are left behind?”

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Carson McCullers

“We’ll leave now, so that this moment will remain a perfect memory… let it be our song and think of me every time you hear it.”

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith

With love,
Chris Turner

Overdue Update

The thought of sitting down to write a blog post has made me feel sick for the past few weeks. The thought of doing much of anything has made me sick, but this blog post in particular has been unusually daunting. Before, this whole cancer thing was sort of an abstract concept, but the increasing symptoms of the cancer plus the effects of chemo have made it all very real very quickly. Nothing about my body is working quite right, including the writing part of my brain.

I actually got a break from chemotherapy this week, which has been a huge gift. I worked all week with relatively little discomfort, and this morning I felt just almost normal. I started taking the immunotherapy drug again on Tuesday, and so far I haven’t had the kind of pain that sent me to the hospital last time. I can see tiny improvements here and there, and if they didn’t involve the most personal aspects of my bodily functions, I would celebrate them with you here.

Tomorrow night I will fly back to Houston for another round of chemo. I know this will put me back at the starting line as far as how I am feeling, but as I long as chemo is punching back this tumor, I am fine with that. Hopefully, it will also punch back this writer’s block, and I will be back to updating regularly again soon.