In Loving Memory of Timothy Turner: March 9, 1946 - June 1, 2022 

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Timothy Morris Turner, 76, of Olympia, Washington, passed away on June 1, 2022, from complications due to Alzheimer’s disease. 

Tim was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, where he attended Chief Sealth High School and played football. After high school, he went to college at Pacific Lutheran University. In 1968, Tim was conscripted to the Vietnam War. Tim obtained the rank of captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and was a battalion commander of combat engineers. He was awarded the Silver Star for Valor in combat. This period of his life impacted him significantly, and many tales would be told about the war and life in the military. 

After his service to his country, Tim went to work at G & T Lanes owned by his father Morse Turner. Tim started resurfacing bowling centers throughout the Northwest following in the business taught to him by his father. This led to Tim’s desire to become an entrepreneur and own bowling centers himself. His first bowling center was Tumwater Lanes in 1984. Following the sale of this center in 1995, Tim started a partnership with his brother Steve Turner and bought Olympic Bowl in Burien, Washington, renaming it to Regency Lanes. The business was successful but was forced to be sold to the Port of Seattle’s third runway project in 2002. This led Tim and Steve to come back south to Centralia to purchase Fairlanes, which they renamed Fairway Lanes. They also purchased the eight lane center Centralia Bowl on Tower Avenue. Tim owned, managed and worked at Fairway Lanes until 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic had temporarily closed the business. During this same time, Tim’s Alzheimer’s worsened. The Turner families decided it was time to retire and close this chapter of their lives after 30-plus years in the business and sold Fairway Lanes. 

Tim impacted many lives in his long career in the bowling industry and had a passion for coaching anyone from juniors to seniors. He loved to talk to anyone and everyone, and put a smile on your face. He enjoyed traveling with his wife, Susan and family to Mazatlan, Mexico where they would go annually. He had a passion for keeping busy from working at the bowling center to mowing the lawn on his riding lawn mower. He was an animal lover, but just had a love for life. He volunteered many years working for the Thurston County Youth Football League and many other sporting events in the Tumwater and Olympia area that his kids were involved in. 

Tim married his wife Susan Turner in 1980, who survives him. He is also survived by daughters Melissa Turner and Stephanie Smith, son Thomas Turner, his sister Linda Anderson (Eric), brother Steven Turner (Elisa), one granddaughter, and many nieces and nephews. Tim was preceded by his parents Morse and Muriel Turner. 

A memorial service is being held on June 28, 2022, at Tahoma National Cemetery where he will be interred following the ceremony. A remembrance and wake open to the public will take place on July 10, 2022 at the Chehalis Moose Lodge from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.  

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