Nancy Spivey Turner

Nancy Spivey Turner, of Sanford, went to receive her heavenly reward on Thursday, September 29, surrounded by her loving family and friends. During her extended illness at home, she was supported by an awesome “team” of health care providers and staff. Among this group of caregivers were many wonderful “angels” provided by FirstHealth Hospice, Aging Outreach Services, and Pinehurst Neuropsychology, as well as her sister-in-law, Beth, and so many loving friends, family, and her First Baptist Church family.

Nancy was born in Chowan County, NC, on August 27, 1944, to Mildred Harrell and Ernest Alphonso Spivey. She grew up in the Rocky Hock community of Chowan County. She attended Chowan High School. She then attended East Carolina University with dreams of being an English teacher. At ECU, she majored in English and minored in French. In 1966, God joined Nancy Spivey and Jim Turner together as One in a beautiful, blessed Christian marriage and then walked daily with them for over 56 years. After college, Nancy and Jim taught in Pasquotank County, NC, for 1 year and then came to Lee County in 1967 to teach at Sanford Central High School.

With the start of their family in 1970, Nancy left the public schools to begin teaching English part-time at Central Carolina Community College (CCCC). After becoming a full-time employee at CCCC, she completed a Masters Degree in English at Campbell University. At CCCC, she became the English Department Chairperson, Division Chairperson of the Communications Department, and later was named the Dean of Liberal Arts, Communication, and Business Programs. In addition to these responsibilities, she helped form the Tri-County English Alliance as a means of improving communication between English teachers at CCCC and the area public schools. For many years, she was a member of the Delta Rho organization. Nancy loved her students and co-workers.

As a member of First Baptist Church (FBC) for 55 years, she held many positions of leadership with the Youth programs and, as one of her passions was knitting, she worked with the Prayer Shawl Ministry. She taught for many years in the College/Career and the Harriett Pickard Sunday School Classes.

As for passions, she had many. Included were knitting and teaching others to knit, bowling, and playing a few holes of golf in the late afternoon. Nancy loved her family. Nothing pleased her any more than getting to spend time with her children and grandchildren, her “Angel Babies”. Preparing family meals on special occasions always delighted her. She loved to prepare an amazing Thanksgiving feast.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Linda Oncken. Nancy is survived by husband, Jim; son, Chris (Laura); daughter, Shana (Keith) Greer; grandchildren: Amy Turner, Seth Greer, Amanda Turner, Leah Greer; and her brother Allen (Beth) Spivey. She loved and cherished her many special nieces, nephews, and each of her 44 first-cousins.

The family will receive friends on Saturday October 8 starting at 12:00 pm in the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall (202 Summitt Drive, Sanford). A Celebration of Life Service will immediately follow at 2:00 pm in the FBC Sanctuary. Leading the service will be Brian Caldwell, Suzanne Colandro, and Dr. Matt Garrett.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in Nancy’s memory to be made to First Baptist Church of Sanford, the CCCC Foundation, FirstHealth Hospice, and the Foundation of FirstHealth (on behalf of Pinehurst Neuropsychology).

If anyone would like to share special memories of Nancy with the family, please send them to the following temporary email address: memories.nturner@gmail.com .