Alta Margaret Wilson Turner

Our mother, Alta Margaret Wilson Turner, aged 99, passed away peacefully on January 11, 2025, in Bountiful, Utah, with her family by her side. During the past few months, she received many letters, visits, phone calls, and family videos from relatives and friends expressing their love for her.  

Born in Midway, Utah, on May 2, 1925, she is the seventh of eight children of James Brigham Wilson, Jr. and Lota Eliza Huffaker Wilson. Her dignity, strength in adversity, patience, and enthusiasm for life enriched the lives of all who knew her.  

Working on the family farm since she was old enough to pick up a pitchfork, she learned the value of hard work. She, her sister Blanche, and their mother took over the farm while their four brothers served honorably in World War II. The value of hard work and sacrifice was her foundation during her long life of service. 

She graduated from Wasatch High School in 1943 and pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University and later received her Master's Degree in Learning Disabilities. Her educational career was dedicated to starting and directing new Special Education programs in North Summit, Millard, and Jordan Districts.  

Upon retirement from teaching, she and her sister, Blanche Wilson Pryor, researched and composed their own reading education program and method, The CompuRead Multisensory Reading Program. She is a prolific author of over 75 children’s reading books, professional teachers' reference manuals, a parent’s guide for children’s successful kindergarten entry, three classroom activities manuals, and a host of educational materials for parents and teachers. She has enjoyed researching, writing, and editing several genealogy histories. She loved to teach children, especially helping them learn to read. 

Mother had many talents. She always had multiple creative projects going at once: writing, sewing, or decorating; changing things around or adding something to our home. She was an avid reader and encouraged her children to do the same. She truly appreciated the finer things in life and also loved hiking, quilting, and music. One of her favorite things to do was to make old things new again. 

She married Sanford M. (Jack) Turner, December 23, 1951, and later sealed in the Manti Temple in 1966. From that union, were born four children: Thane; deceased (Dianna: deceased (Barry Christensen, children of Barry and Dianna; Nick, Brein, Laura, Brad, Dranden, Noelle), Scott (wife Freya, Children: Krista, Stephanie, Angela, Michael, Ryan), Charlotte Parrish (husband Doug, Children: Preston, Allison, Claire, Lauren), and Steven (wife Maria (divorced), Children: Rafael, Victoria), (Charlotte K.) She has 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. She was the primary caregiver for our father after his stroke, for which we are deeply grateful. 

She was a lifelong and faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held many positions throughout her life. Her favorite was being the dance and drama director. Throughout her life, she had unwavering faith and a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Central to her life was prayer and her love for her Heavenly Father and the Savior. She had a love for the scriptures and was always willing to share her love of the gospel with others. Her life was one of service to her family, church, and profession. 

She is preceded in death by her husband, (Jack) son, (Thane) and eight brothers and sisters: Blanche (Grant Pryor), Belva (Dee Broadbent), Curtis (Alice), Wayne (Ruth) and Emer (Leah), Vern (Merla), and Brice (Carolyn). 

The family would like to express special thanks to the staff of Legacy House of Bountiful for their professional and dignified care of our mother. The expert, skilled, and professional medical attention from Utah Home Health and Hospice has been greatly appreciated for their expert and loving care of our mother during the past year. 

Services will be held at the Bountiful Tabernacle, 55 S. Main, Bountiful, Utah, on Thursday, January 16, 2025. A viewing will be held from 11-11:45 a.m. followed by funeral services at 12 noon. Interment will be at the Midway City Cemetery beside her beloved husband, son, and daughter-in-law.  

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary & Crematory Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin about 10-15 minutes prior to the service and will be posted below.