Remembering a Good Friend and Encourager
Peggy Turner
Here is what some of our members and friends have to say about Peggy:
Our faithful friend Peggy Turner has lost her battle with breast cancer, after many years of valiantly fighting. Thankfully she is resting now with Jesus. Peggy was an innovator in the Bakersfield region as she opened HERC, the Home Educators Resource Center, for group classes, testing and more. Her goal was to help homeschoolers be well prepared for college. Not everyone agreed with her ideas, and it is much to her credit that she worked well with the other local groups, always gracious, always turning conversation away from herself towards Jesus, smoothly paving the differences within a very few years. Peggy was a faithful friend to CHEA and her smiling face at the membership table is one of my fond memories of CHEA conventions.
~ Debbie Feely ~
CHEA Support Network Leader for Central Valley
When we arrived in Bakersfield 15 years ago, Peggy Turner was one of the first homeschoolers in leadership that we met. I cannot remember how we met, but I think it was probably at a homeschooling conference held at Calvary Bible Church. I was so impressed by her love of God and dedication to homeschooling and utmost confidence in the ability of homeschooling students to soar, and she never wavered in those beliefs throughout. As my children grew older I began having annual meetings with Peggy and Sandy Armstrong to make sure I covered all the academic areas in homeschooling through junior high and high school. Both ladies were such an encouragement and wealth of knowledge and Peggy always reminded me that as long as my children loved the Lord, were lifelong learners, and were moving ahead in their education, we were on the right path. Peggy wept with me and prayed with me on more than one occasion, and whenever we spoke she made me feel as though my needs were the most important concerns in the world. Her smile, her laugh, her eyes so full of joy, so memorable! I will miss her, and look forward to the day we meet again in Heaven!
~ Kathy Gildez ~ C.H.E.C.K. Board President
Dear Jim and family, Our family sends our hugs to you. Although we cry with you at realizing your loss, we rejoice with you at Christ's gain to have called His beloved daughter, Peggy, to be present with Him in eternity. It was an honor to be friends with such a noble and loving, joyful lady of Christ! I will forever remember her voice saying, "Jesus first. Remember Jesus first." What a legacy she has left those in the lives she touched. Hallelujah! She is praising her Lord!
Keeping you in our prayers and lifting you up into Christ's care,
~ The Summers' Family
I have only met Peggy on a few occasions, but I was always struck by her positive and sweet spirit, always giving glory to God. One could see that her eyes were fixed on her Savior.
~ Paula Davis
I am deeply sorry to hear of the loss of your loved one. Peggy was a great help to me when I started out in homeschooling. My prayers are with you during this difficult time.
~ Rebecca A. Sampson
Our family thanks you for the updates and allowing us to be included in praying for Peggy and her family. May she rest in peace, and may her family be showered with Peace.
Blessings Galore,
~ Kevin and Deanna DeBondt and Family
The Ultimate Christmas Gift is one that needs no wrapping,
everyone can use, never grows old, doesn't cost an arm and a leg,
only requires folded hands and a bended knee, and will always lead you back to the 'One' who Christmas is really about.
GIVE UP? It is the Gift of PRAYER!
D.G.D. 11-02-2010
I have only been homeschooling for a short time now and had the blessing of working with Peggy for one year. Even though I've only been face to face with her a few times, she has impacted me and my family. What a sweet and gentle spirit she has. What an encouragement she was to me. She made me feel confident that what I was doing was the best thing for my children. She was so laid-back (I admit, I'm a little uptight) and made me at ease. Her words of encouragement and affirmation will never leave me. And because of her, I now bless my children every night before bed. If I happen to forget, they'll remind me, because it's special to them. And so, I will always remember her and hope that I can be the loving mother, wife and teacher that she was. My deepest sympathy to her family. What joy to know she is in the presence of her loving Creator and Savior! We'll see you soon Peggy!
With Love in Christ,
~ Cheyenne Vasquez
"Oh, that all my brethren in the land may know what a Master I have served, and what peace I have this day! I shall sleep in Christ, and when I awake, I shall be satisfied with His likeness. This night shall close the door, and put my anchor within the vail,; and I shall go away in a sleep by five of the clock in the morning. Glory! Glory to my Creator and my Redeemer forever! . . . Glory! Glory dwelleth in Immanuel's land!" --Samuel Rutherford on the eve of his death, March 19, 1661.
I read it this morning and all I could do was to rejoice at the glimpse of the GLORY Peggy is experiencing now and forever! The hymn, "The Sands of Time are Sinking" was written from Rutherford's last words:
The sands of time are sinking,
the dawn of heaven breaks;
The summer morn I've sighed for,
the fair, sweet morn, awakes:
Dark, dark hath been the midnight,
but dayspring is at hand,
and glory, glory dwelleth
in Immanuel's land!
~ Sandy Armstrong
My deepest condolences to the Turner family. May the
Lord's comforting presence be your strength as you walk through her loss.
What a precious saint you have shared with us. Thank you for allowing her
to serve the Lord with her call to the homeschooling families. She was a
bright and shinning light to all of us. She always saw the potential in
each of us as mothers, wives, homeschool teachers and most of all saints
of the Lord. She saw God's potential in our children and her words
were so affirming and compassionate. She honored her Savior and she held
high a standard of holiness. She was my first contact via the internet
back in 2000 when I was preparing to move to Bakersfield from Hawaii. I
was looking for a homeschool support group and somehow I got connected to
her. I was so blessed. She was an answer to prayer for me. I could not
have gotten my first and oldest son through the high school years with out
her help. I am eternally grateful to her and to the Lord for putting her
in my path. If there is anything we can do to help you please don't
hesitate to call. Much love and deepest sympathy. Sincerely,
~ Lisa Caploe
Thank you, Turner Family, for sharing your wife, mom and grandma, Peggy, with our homeschooling family. Peggy left an indelible impression on us. We will hold her in our memory all of our days. When I think of Peggy, I think of her smile, laughter and the Energizer Bunny. I often wondered, Where does she get all that energy from? One of my fondest memories of Peggy is a conversation we had in the HERC office in 2006. After a lengthy discussion involving specific details about a variety of topics, Peggy declared, "You're a visionary, just like me!" She introduced me to the word for the first time! Looking back, I think I'm beginning to understand what she was talking about. In the middle of the heartache over such a tremendous loss, we reflect on Psalm 147:3, "He heals the broken-hearted, binding up their wounds." Glory to God in the Highest for blessing us with such a precious gift as Peggy!
With Love and Sympathy,
~ The Ewings ~ Glenn, Kate, Jake and Jennifer
The O'Hearn Family would like to express our condolences to the Turner
family. We will remember Peggy as an incredible encourager and visionary.
Nothing was impossible to Peggy. Thank you for sharing her with so many of
us these past years. We loved Peggy and extend that love to your family as
well. In sorrow and joy! Love,
~ James, Brenda and James B. O'Hearn
Advice from Peggy
A dear friend of mine passed away a few days ago, straight into the arms of Jesus. She was a Godly woman, beloved of many, and a mentor to hundreds (if not thousands) of homeschoolers-including me. We had a special "sisterhood" since we had both already lost our moms, and continued to miss them terribly.
Peggy was a woman of vision who served the homeschooling community since 1993 as a support group founder/leader, private school administrator (in CA homeschoolers are private schoolers, so many form their own schools-in some states these are called "umbrella schools"- which provide services for/oversee the work of homeschoolers), and mentor. Peggy was a gifted teacher, as many blessed homeschool graduates can attest; she especially loved to share her love of science (she was an archeologist/creation scientist who loved to share her fossils.) But perhaps two of Peggy's greatest gifts were the gifts of love and encouragement.
Whenever any of us "moms" were discouraged, she was the "go to" person. We were guaranteed encouragement and a hearty hug and she always seemed to know just what to say (perhaps because she had already successfully homeschooled her own five children all the way through high school, so she knew what we were going through.). I can remember several times when I was upset about something that was going on with my kids - when I was worried about their behavior, or worried that they weren't learning enough. She gave me some great advice, which I will now pass along to you. I remember her hugging me and saying, "Now listen, sweetie. Your kids are going to be just fine. You are teaching them about the Lord, and that is the most important thing. If we can teach our children to know and love the Lord, how to read and write well, how to do basic math, and how to do research (so that they can look up anything else they want to learn - fill in any "gaps"), then what else do they need? We've given them all the necessary tools to succeed-to become anything the Lord calls them to be." That advice always comforted me. It really makes homeschooling seem "doable", doesn't it?
~ Susan Lemons, (Susan leads the Thinking About Homeschooling group in Kern County- from her blog)
One of the last times I saw Peggy face to face was one of the most inspiring experiences of my life. Many months ago, I saw Peggy at a homeschool event, and sensing how precious our time was with her, I walked with her out the door and down the long staircase and into the parking lot when it was over, just to have a few more precious moments with her.
I asked Peggy, and truly meant this from my heart, "How are you?"
I was overwhelmed by her response; her face was glowing radiantly and she said ( the meaning of her message has been imprinted upon the memory of my heart, though the words may not be exact), "I have never felt closer to the LORD and Heaven than I do now...I feel so close to the heart of God,more than at any other time of my life...It is GLORIOUS!"
I sensed a spirit of complete and total trust in the LORD and a glorious freedom that came from her complete abandon to His will and His love. She was completely in the Lord's hands; she radiated the peace and love of His presence. She was ablaze with the Joy of His presence. She was saturated in His Holy Spirit and His love.
I was amazed and in awe! There was absolutely nothing I could do for her--Peggy was exactly where she wanted to be--she was being held close to the heart of God where she nestled in the warmth of His love and she was as close to Heaven as anyone on earth could possibly be. What a foretaste of Heaven and eternity.
~ Marie Hauk
How I have come to know Peggy was through her daughter Hayley. Hayley was one of the first and closest examples that I have had of the successful homeschooling experience. I was privileged to work with this young woman who graduated from her homeschooled environment, received a college diploma, excelled in business and who now working to be a stand out wife and mother.
The lives of Hayley along with her siblings and rock steady father Jim are trophies to Peggy's merit. Warm Regards,
~ Eric Livingston