Mark Stewart Turnage, Jr., 34, of Sour Lake, died Friday, April 28, 2006. A native and lifelong resident of the Beaumont area, he had resided in Sour Lake for the past two years. Mark was a plumber for Bryan Gaspard Plumbing in Groves.
As a father, he was very attentive-from newborn babies, wake-up feedings, bottle making, school programs, band concerts or any activity his son or daughters were doing. His children were his life, as well as his precious dog, Malilee. Mark was a wonderful and concerned brother-he loved his sisters very much. He considered his mom the best in the world and she has always been there for him when he needed something. Mark never let anyone talk ugly about his mother or step-dad, who also was there for him for many years and treated him as one of his own.
Mark loved his dad very much and enjoyed helping him put up fencing or whatever he needed done. Mark would call Leigh and say, “What’s for dinner (step-mom). I’ll bring the beans and you cook the meat, ha!” That was always their joke.
Our Mark was loved by everyone and had many very special friends. Heather is a very special girl, who Mark cared a lot about. They laughed and cried together and at times, prayed together. He also has shared a great deal of his life with his wife, Beth, who he loved very much and they shared three children together.
Mark has been working with his brother-in-law, Bryan Gaspard, for about one and a half years learning the plumbing business and has learned a lot. Mark enjoyed having coffee at his sister’s house every morning before work. They would work, talk and have all kinds of fun and laugh while waiting for Mark’s partner, Mike, to show up for work. Mark and Mike had become good friends as they spent work days together. Every morning as they would leave for the work day, Mark would say to his niece, Chastity, “Have a good day and I love you.” Boy, how she will miss that. It sure meant a lot to her.
Mark would wait at the end of his driveway at 6:20 a.m. everyday with his two younger children while they were waiting for the school bus. He was a very loving uncle to all his nieces and nephews and he was very protective of his sisters, Julie, Staci and Kim. He didn’t want any harm coming to them at all. His cousins were also very important to him and he was excited about the new babies coming in our family soon. He was also very worried about Angie and would call me every day to see if I’d heard from her. Whenever Colleen and Carrie were in town, he enjoyed their visits.
Easter was special because he saw Carrie, Vivi and Kenny and he enjoyed visiting with them all. Mark loved all of his Bigby cousins, especially the special times they would spend together every summer at Aunt Pam’s. He so loved his family, both his grandmothers are very special to him. Mark was very quiet in so many ways, but in his own way he loved all of his aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, sisters and parents.
Mark spent his last day with his cousin Josh, having a good time at Uncle Brigs eating, visiting and talking about going hog hunting. However, on this evening God decided it was time for these two cousins to come home together. So guys, look after each other until your moms, dads and families see you again one day. We miss you and love you!
He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Turnage of Downsville, Louisiana; son, Jordan Turnage of Sour Lake; daughters, Maraya Turnage of Downsville and Amber Turnage of Sour Lake; mother, Karen Brashear and her husband Clif of Beaumont; father, Mark Turnage and his wife Leigh of Sour Lake; sisters, Julie Huddleston and her husband Jesse, Staci Guilbeaux and her husband Brad and Kimberly Gaspard and her husband Bryan all of Port Neches; grandmothers, Jackie Turnage and Barbara Linder both of Beaumont; nieces and nephews, Savanna, Cody, Brandon, Jessi Lyn, Chastity, Jacob and Graci Lyn; and aunts and uncles;
Mark is preceded in death by his grandfathers, John Turnage and T.E. “Dude” Linder; and his cousin, Joshua Bigby.
Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, May 3, 2006 at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont with burial to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. A gathering of family and friends will begin at 5:00 P.M. Tuesday, May 2, 2006 at the Mortuary.
Memorial contributions may be made to Fellowship Baptist Church Building Fund, 1315 South 27th Street, Nederland, Texas 77627.
