In Memoriam

It's been a tough week here in the fictional Duchy, as well as in The Real World. My father had a bad fall, which resulted in hospitalization. Unfortunately, the combination of injury and age and other health issues was too much for the man and on Saturday evening, he passed into the next world, to be with my mother, who passed away in 2002. 

Frederick Peter Turner

10 June 1943 - 07 February 2026

My father was a pharmacist and also taught high school physical science, biology, and chemistry. He moved to Chelmsford as a young man in 1955 and graduated from Chelmsford High School in 1961. 

Graduating from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, he later earned a Master's in Education from Fitchburg State College, whilst simultaneously working a full and a part time job and helping to raise my younger brother and myself. 

After my mother passed away from cancer in 2002, he later met and married Laurie and built a second life, still in the same house he had bought in 1970. Needless to say, he had some quirks and one of them was the house I grew up in... 

After a forced retirement, despite being an intellectually active person, he languished and unfortunately did not do well in that part of his life. A few years ago, he was diagnosed with the onset of Alzheimer's and dementia. The last three years saw a progressive decline and more and more medical issues rob him of his health. 

I spoke to him Sunday, the day before he fell, making my usual Sunday noontime call. We had a very pleasant chat and he was able to tell me how happy he was that I was doing well and that he loved me.

My own love of history, reading, and learning comes directly from him. He never properly understood my wargaming hobby, it rather bemused him. But he appreciated the work I put into my figures and such. He always enjoyed my telling about battlefields I walked. 

I miss him terribly already.