Caroline Turner

Cobleskill- Caroline "Carol" C. Turner, 71, of Woodland Drive, died Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown following a long illness.

Born November 10, 1940 in Ticonderoga, she was the daughter of the late Bernard Clifton and Frances (Spring) Clifton, who survives her.

Carol's family owned and operated a summer hotel, The Island Harbor House, in Hague on Lake George for many years. She graduated from Hague High School in 1958, valedictorian, and received a BA and MA from SUNY Albany. Carol married Robert Cross, Jr., in 1963.

She taught English for twenty-six years for Cobleskill Central School and Cobleskill-Richmondville Central School systems, taking several years off before her children began their schooling. Carol was one of two English teachers at CRCS to develop the AP English Program and also co-directed several plays. She was a co-advisor for the class of 1982.

Carol was a member of the Alpha Psi Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, women's honorary education sorority. For many years she was a member of the Depot Lane Singers.

In retirement, Carol and her husband of twenty-seven years, Anthony Turner, loved traveling to Aruba, Cape Breton Island, Oregon, Alaska, England, Scotland, and Europe. They followed their beloved NYS Giants to Phoenix, Washington, and of course, The Meadowlands.

Carol was a volunteer for the Literacy Volunteers of America. In addition, Carol also volunteered at the Cobleskill Community Library.

During Carol's lifelong battle with pulmonary disease, she was known by her doctors, family, and friends as an indomitable fighter.

Survivors include her husband, Anthony Turner; her children: Colleen (Michael) Benton of Cobleskill and Robert (Betsy Busche) Cross, III. of West Winfield; two step-daughters: Lauren (Kenneth) Parlin of NY City and Sharon (Mark Paul) Turner of Brooklyn; her mother: Frances Clifton of Schenectady; her brother: Bernard Clifton of Morrisonville, NY; eight grandchildren: Daniel, Emily, Turner, Elizabeth, Anna, Isabel, Matilda, and Phoebe; two nieces: Pamela (Marshall Hampton) Clifton, and Sarah Clifton; and one nephew: Cory Clifton; and one great-niece: Violet Hampton.

Friends are invited to a period of visitation to be held from 4 to 7 PM on Sunday, May 13, 2012 at Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home, 171 Elm St., Cobleskill. A graveside service will be at a later date to be announced.

At the request of the family, in lieu of flowers, contributions in Carol's memory may be made to Literacy Volunteers of America, PO Box 852, Cobleskill, NY 12043.