Turner, Samuel, was born to George and Hollie Turner on October 1, 1932 in West Newton, MA.



“Sam” as he was known to family and friends, was the tenth child of 15.



Sam attended Newton Public Schools. He received a BS in Education from Bowling Green



University, Bowling Green, OH, his Master’s in Education Administration and Supervision from



Boston University, and took Doctoral Studies in Education Administration and Supervision at



Boston College and University of Connecticut.



Sam began his professional career as a school teacher in Canton OH, in 1955. He later returned



to Newton to accept a position as one of the first black teachers in the Newton Public School



system. At a time when racism and segregation excluded the possibility for African Americans



in administrative positions in education, it is significant to note Sam’s determination to achieve



this goal. Sam became the first African American principal in three separate school systems



from 1964 until he retired in 1989. Through the years, Sam would open doors by recruiting



aspiring young African American education professionals to teaching and administrative



positions throughout New England. Following his retirement in 1989, Sam moved on to serve in



higher education as Special Assistant to the President for Affirmative Action and Coordinator of



the Diversity Initiative at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Sam retired from Lesley in 2002.



Sam was committed to education and community service. Some of his community



involvements include: devout Member of Myrtle Baptist Church; past President & Board of



Directors of Newton Community Service Centre; past President of Newton Junior Chamber of



Commerce; Director, New World Gospel Choir; past President & Board of Directors, Black



Citizens of Newton; past Chairman and a founder of The Newton Committee on Fair Housing



and Equal Rights; and Past President of The Greater Boston Federation of Fair Housing



Committees. He has served on the Executive Boards of Boston and South Middlesex County



Chapters of NAACP and Board of Directors for Newton Red Cross, Newton Junior College, All



Newton Music School and Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity, (METCO) Inc., and



Roxbury Comprehensive Community Health Center. Sam served on the Board of Trustees at



Newton-Wellesley Hospital and Antioch University Graduate Center and a Founding Trustee of



Cambridge College. He served a lecturer at Northeastern University and Simmons College. Sam



was the President of the Board of Trustees and interim-manager of Eastwood at Provincetown,



Provincetown, MA.



Sam has been honored and recognized for his community service including: Young Man of the



Year for The City of Newton by The Newton Junior Chamber of Commerce; Outstanding Jaycee



for the State of Massachusetts; recipient of the Brotherhood Award by the National Conference



of Christians and Jews; and the Boston University Ida Johnson outstanding Alumni Award; the



President’s Award by Lesley University for recognition of outstanding service to the



organization; the Massachusetts Partnership for Diversity in Education for his service and



dedication; and The Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Senate for his lifelong



indefatigable dedication and outstanding advocacy for diversity.



It is often said that Sam was a “people person”! Even in his “official retirement”, Sam



continued to open doors in education by connecting, providing advice, and lending a listening



ear to the next generation of educational leaders, particular educational leaders of color. He is



a founder of The Massachusetts Partnership for Diversity in Education in 1972 where he



continued to serve as a consultant to the organization during his retirement. Through



education, Sam gave unselfishly of himself to make a difference to enhance the quality of life



for so many.



Sam is survived by his spouse Robert Emin, son R. Clark Turner (Ruby Irish), of West Newton,



MA, daughter Lisa Gordon (Kenneth), of Reston, VA, son Craig Turner (Laura) of San Leandro,



CA, and their mother, Florence Clark of Reston, VA; three granddaughters: Bianca Turner,



Veronica Turner, and Maricela Turner, three grandsons: Edmund Turner, Marshall Gordon, and



Samuel Gordon; five sisters: Leahnora Hill of Auburndale, MA; Ozella Evans of Greensboro, NC;



Elizabeth Nichols of Newtonville, MA; June Lowe of Auburndale, MA; Joan Banks (Jesse) of



Newton Center; and two brothers: William Turner (Nancy) of West Newton, MA; and Thomas



Turner (Etheline) of Newtonville, MA; and sister-in-law Christine Turner of Atlanta, GA; a host



of nieces and nephews; great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews;



cousins; god-daughters: Paulette, Sandy, and Bethany; and a host of extended family and



friends. He was preceded in death by his mother and father; three sisters: Candace Haywood



(Robert) of West Newton, MA; Cornelia Johnson (Asbury) of Hartford, CT; and Mary Ellen Ricks



(Raynor) of Chicago, IL; and four brothers: Levi and Henry Turner of NC; James Turner (Ruth) of



West Newton, MA; and Robert Turner of Ashland, MA; two nieces and two nephews; and one



god-daughter.



The family would like to thank the medical team and staff at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute,



as well as the staff at Seasons Hospice who each provided exceptional care for Sam during his



illness.



A memorial service to celebrate Sam’s life will be held on Friday, November 27, 2015, at 3:00



PM at Myrtle Baptist Church, 21 Curve Street, West Newton, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations



can be made to the Samuel A. Turner Memorial Fund c/o Village Bank, 1369 Washington St., Newton, MA, 02465 to continue Sam's legacy to provide diversity in education.

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