Floyd Cicero Turnage was born on June 16, 1929 to Carl and Mattie Turnage in Texarkana, Arkansas. He was raised in the Pleasant Grove area with siblings, William (Bill) Turnage of Orangevale, CA. and Sue Henderson of Martinsburg, WV.
Floy met Helen Owen at Texas High School in Texarkana. The story goes that they rode the bus together and he would write her love letters and throw them out the window of the bus. After World War II, Helen moved back to Stamps, AR to finish school. Floyd and his running buds, Vance Scott and brother, Bill would go to Stamps every weekend. Floyd joined the army while still in school, got his GED in the Army. He proposed to Helen shortly thereafter. Not sure where he was stationed but, he went AWOL on Thanksgiving November 28, 1946 to come to Texarkana to marry Helen. He went back to wherever it was the next day and Helen finished school. I’m sure he got in tons of trouble, but he didn’t care, as he got the love of his life, which lasted 73 years.
Floyd left for the Army August 1946 – 1950. He got out and decided to reenlist in the Air For e 1951 – 1960. After his round of military the family made it back home to Texarkana where he helped his dad to contractor work. He opened his first of many service stations (5). In 1970, he purchased the Mobil Oil distributorship. In 1972, eh upped the family and moved to Hot Springs Village, AR. He retired from station business only to open a restaurant. He decided that was harder than station business. He studied and got his real estate license and sold lots and homes in Hot Springs, Village. Once again, he didn’t like that, so he started building homes, which he loved.
He and mom decided it was time to move back to Texarkana and build homes. He did this until he finally retired from it all and moved to Little Rock, AR. They wanted to be closer to family to care for them.
Dad was a perfectionist and workaholic. Needless to say, he was hard to work for. But, you got the best of the best. He loved working in the yard and growing beautiful flowers. He had that green thumb. Most of all, he was devoted to mother. He waited on her and foot and LOVED IT.
He was a Christian man. He helped start the Church of Christ in Hot Springs Village, AR where he served as an elder. He attended Hampton Church of Christ in Texarkana, and also Pleasant Valley Church of Christ in Little Rock, AR.
Floyd was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Mary Helen Turnage, his son, Floyd (Chuck) Turnage, his son-in-law, Byron Cook, and daughter-in-law, Leslie Turnage.
Survivors include his daughter, Diane Cook and son, Scott Turnage; grandchildren, Lori Turnage Hewett, Shane Turnage, Jennifer Tulgetske (Thomas), Melissa Wiencek (Justin), Melanie Ritchie (Ryan), Samantha Nuckolls (Trent), and Elizabeth Rhodes (Darby); great-great grandchildren, Matthew Hart, Madelyn and Amelia Odle, Megan, Lauren and Olivia Tulgetske, Aaron and Andrew Wiencek, Hudson, Lexi and Beckham Ritchie, Addison and Alex Nuckolls, Darian and Logan Rhodes; and great-great grandchild, Kimber Pack.
Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at Texarkana Funeral Home, Texas Blvd. with a visitation one hour before the service. Burial will be at Memorial Gardens under the direction of Texarkana Funeral Home, Texas.
