Audrey Darnell (Minnis)Turner

AUDREY DARNELL (MINNIS) TURNER, the daughter of Louis T. Minnis, Sr. and Dorothy Evelyn (Bland) Minnis, was born in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday, July 16, 1952. She graduated, with honors, from East High School in 1970, and went on to graduate from The Ohio State University in 1975, where she became a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Audrey was an elementary school teacher in the Columbus City Schools and Maryland City Schools in Prince Georges County, Maryland. She received her Master’s in Education, while teaching in Maryland. Audrey married Jerry Wayne Turner on November 27, 1980. They have two daughters, Geri Lake and Kesha Jones. The family relocated to Granite City, Illinois, where Jerry continued to serve in the United States Air Force, and then moved to Oxon Hill, Maryland, where he completed his military career. Audrey was a member of New Horizon Gospel Church in Clinton, Maryland, for over 30 years, where she served as a Sunday School teacher for the youth and a member of the choir. She routinely attended Noon Day Prayer Service and was active with the Homeless Food Pantry, the Dance Ministry, and Sign Language. After retiring, Audrey received her cosmetology license. She enjoyed attending dance and sign language classes with a host of friends. Our beloved Audrey, age 68, peacefully passed away on Saturday, November 21, 2020. She leaves to cherish her memory her two daughters, Kesha Anik (Cornell) Jones of Columbus, Ohio and Geri Lake of San Antonio, Texas; two grandsons, Connor and Dillion Lake of San Antonio, Texas; sister, Barbara (Dale) Harden of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; brother, Louis T. Minnis Jr. and his fiancée, Tessa Luecke of Orlando, Florida; a host of nieces and nephews, including Madison Minnis, Arielle (Tyler) Nebel, and Dr. Maurice Harden; special sisters and brothers-in-law, cousins, and dear friends who were there for her throughout her extended illness.