JOHN TURNER

It is with a heavy heart that I have to advise the recent death of John Turner - on 26th Nov although just now announced in the local paper.
John was a Life-Vice President of the S.C.B.B.A and a former Chairman of the Association at a difficult time in the 1980s.

He was the Crawley League's top player and twice won the Billingshurst Singles (81/82 and 88/89) and was also runner-up to John Sullivan in the County Singles Final in 1979/80 and a Watney Mann Cup winner in 1996.

He was a really good mate - and mentor - and there was never a dull moment when John was around, many's the time he had us in a fit of giggles.
John had suffered from poor health in recent years and it was fitting that he should bow out his playing career with a heroic win in the deciding frame of the Team Cup Final (Mid Sussex).

John leaves behind his loving wife Margaret, two daughters and three grandchildren.
Funeral details have been announced thus:

• Mon 11th Dec at 3pm at the Worth Crematorium (St Richards Chapel)
• Donations if desired to the Alzheimer's Society c/o The Martins Funeral Directors

[bigjimsilverfox]

Dec 6, 2017 12:50:17 GMT tommo III said:

It is with a heavy heart that I have to advise the recent death of John Turner - on 26th Nov although just now announced in the local paper.
John was a Life-Vice President of the S.C.B.B.A and a former Chairman of the Association at a difficult time in the 1980s.

He was the Crawley League's top player and twice won the Billingshurst Singles (81/82 and 88/89) and was also runner-up to John Sullivan in the County Singles Final in 1979/80 and a Watney Mann Cup winner in 1996.

He was a really good mate - and mentor - and there was never a dull moment when John was around, many's the time he had us in a fit of giggles.
John had suffered from poor health in recent years and it was fitting that he should bow out his playing career with a heroic win in the deciding frame of the Team Cup Final (Mid Sussex).

John leaves behind his loving wife Margaret, two daughters and three grandchildren.
Funeral details have been announced thus:

• Mon 11th Dec at 3pm at the Worth Crematorium (St Richards Chapel)
• Donations if desired to the Alzheimer's Society c/o The Martins Funeral Directors

Sad news indeed, I played against Johm a number of times and found him to be a good player and a gentleman. Condolences to his family

[dipper]

Played John many times, great sport, RIP John.

[bigtj]

I remember John RIP

[Sparky]

RIP John, I remember you well and always enjoyed your company at matches.

Thank you for your tributes, they will be added to 3 websites.

[bobhall]

John was a true gent and a pleasure to play against he was there when i first started and win or lose he was still a gent and a great sportsman rest in peace

John's funeral was today (3pm).

It was a tasteful service, mainly a family affair with only a few of us turning up either from the bar billiards or his prior athletics world.

Gone now but not forgotten, so perhaps I may be forgiven for repeating a post from ten years ago which bears witness to his personality and how entertaining he was to play alongside..........

Mar 29, 2007 12:40:23 GMT tommo III said:

About four years ago, I was picking John up in my car ready for our League match in Redhill. John's road is a crescent, with cars tightly parked on either side of the road, and not many places to pull in. I'd stopped outside his house in the middle of the road with my hazard lights on. John did his usual thing of throwing his cue in the car and jumping in quickly afterwards and closing the car door quick before anything coming the other way took the door off.

But this time as John jumped in there was a sickening "crack" - in his haste he had sat on his cue !

"Oh no !" he yelled "I've only gone and broken my f***ing cue ! That's it, I won't be able to play tonight, it's the only one in existence like it, I've had it 30 years, it's one of only two made together at the same time and Andy Finn had the other one off me on permanent loan !" And all the way in the car from Crawley to the Flying Scud the air was blue, I heard swearwords that I'd never heard before and didn't even know existed !

Anyone who knows Andy Finn will realise by the way that it is difficult enough trying to get a fag back once he's bummed one off you, so getting the cue back - well John might as well forget it. As for the cue, it obviously has magical properties, as many would testify judging by the amount of jammy shots that rolled off it week in, week out. So we already used to refer to it as "Turner's magic wand" so the fact that it now lay fractured in my car was a cause for alarm. Would it have the same powers as a two-piece ?

So we got to the Scud and Mike the landlord (a rather military looking fellow with a handlebars moustache) listened to John's saga of woe with a sympathetic ear, and said to John "tell you what, for tonight you can borrow my cue". He went out the back and returned with a cue in a case which looked brand new, as if it had never seen the light of day, let alone ever been used. John viewed with suspicion and said he'd give it a go.

He was on first, got the break in twice, missed the one-up and threw Mike's cue down in the corner, saying "I can't play with a stick like that !" Well to hear Mike's pride and joy described at a "Stick" and not even a cue was hilarious for some of us, but we had to contain our mirth when we saw Mike's lip trembling.

Anyway, cut a long story short, JT managed to glue his wand back together again in a near-invisible mend, which restored most of its magic powers. It has been running at about 75% strength ever since. Close examination reveals a jagged mark, that's the only visible sign. Hardly a week goes by that we don't see some sort of jammy shot though.

I can post this with impunity as he's abroad in Spain at the moment.

[turnerclan]

Hi guys,

This is Johns (only) Grandaughter, currently back from New Zealand staying with my mum (Johns youngest Daughter) and her husband.

We just wanted to send our thanks for your touching messages here, and to those who came despite the adverse weather.  It meant a lot to the family to see those from grandads past come to see him off, and to read your memories of him is quite heart warming... 

Bar billiards was a massive part of his life, and he would have been overwhelmed by the tributes for him - both mum and nan were very touched by those who were able to attend and have read the messages left here today.

I especially love the story about his broken cue! Although I find it hard the imagine the gentleman we knew turning the air blue!! 

He was was very much loved by the family, and it is lovely to see that he is fondly remembered.

Thanks again,

The Turner Clan.