Mary Blanche Turner-Hext

Mary Blanche Hooks Turner Hext passed away in Tyler, Texas on December 27, 2022. She was born in the community of Buford in Mitchell County, Texas on November 28, 1924 to A.J. Hooks and Bennie Lee Adams Hooks. She graduated from Colorado High School in Colorado City, Texas and attended McMurry College in Abilene, Texas, where she met Frank L. Turner, Jr., son of the college president. They were married on September 20, 1942.

In 1944, Frank received a call to Christian Ministry, and Frank and Blanche began their ministry serving the two-point charge of Wingate and Mazeland in Runnels County, Texas. While serving as the parsonage family in Lorena in 1952, their first son Ralph James was born. After moving to Wortham their second son Gary Frank was born in 1955.

Blanche was the consummate minister’s wife, offering her grace and dignity to this very specialized and often overlooked area of ministry. In two different churches she had United Methodist Women’s Circles named after her. She served as President of the Central Texas Conference Ministers’ Wives in 1975.

After Frank died in 1990, she married his first cousin Joe Turner Hext, whose wife had passed away in 1991. They married on November 21, 1992. Joe died in 2002 from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Prior to Joe’s death, Blanche moved to Meadowstone Place Senior Living in Dallas to be near him. She lived there for nearly fifteen years and often acted as an ambassador for the community. After a fall and hospitalization in 2015, she moved to Parc Place Retirement Community in Bedford, where again she served as a goodwill ambassador.

Survivors: Two sons, Ralph and his wife Karen, and Gary and his wife Carol; six grandchildren, Greg Turner, Tamara Speer and husband David, Jenni Chance, Allen Turner, Sara Fillmer and husband Bryan, Mary Bukowski and husband Tim; nine great-grandchildren, William, Cole, Jackson, Luke, Turner, Priscilla, Evelyn, Maddie, Abigail; two step-sons, Gary Guy Hext and Bryan Hext and wife Dana; four step-grandchildren, Jeff Hext and wife Amanda, Ben Hext and wife Dana, Brad Hext and wife Erma, Shannon (Hext) Spence and husband Rickey; ten step-great-grandchildren, William, Ella, Neal, Joe, Jack, Madi, Cole, Faith, Anna, and Colen; four nieces, Cheryl Chancellor and husband Stan, Elaine Stephens and husband Mike, Joni Holdridge and husband Don, and Gina Paige and husband Jeff; two nephews, Les Shuler and wife Lanae and Jay Shuler and wife Susan; great-nieces, Bernadette Thornton and husband Matt, Stephanie Shuler, Cristina Chancellor, and Tori Marshall and husband Rob; great-nephews, Ryan Chancellor, Paul and Nathan Stephens, Matthew Shuler and wife Krishna, J.P. Shuler, and James and Scott Paige; great-great nieces, Hayley, Freya, Lily; great-great nephew, Ryan.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother Jay Hooks and wife Doris, sister-in-law Betty Shuler and husband James and great nephew Quinn Shuler.

There will be a visitation on Thursday, December 29, from 5-7 pm at Lucas Funeral Home in Hurst, TX; and on Friday, December 30, from 5-7 pm at Heartland Funeral Home in Comanche, TX. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, December 31, at 11:00 am at the First Methodist Church in Comanche followed by a graveside service at 2:00 pm at Greenleaf Cemetery in Brownwood, TX.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Marvin Methodist Church in Tyler, TX or First Methodist Church of Comanche, TX