Harriet Raab (Cookie) Turner, 1925-2013

Harriet Raab (Cookie) Turner passed away surrounded by her family on Monday, February 11, 2013 in Mt Dora, Florida. She leaves her husband Arthur L. (Buzz) Turner, Jr., five children, eight grandchildren, and six great grandchildren (with a seventh to arrive any day now).

In 1945, Cookie Raab was a young dental assistant in Deep River, Connecticut. Buzz Turner was her patient. When Buzz looked up into Cookies eyes, it was love at first sight; the two were married on August 23, 1947 by the Justice of the Peace. While many at the time said it wouldn't last, Buzz and Cookie celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary just this past August. Together, they raised five children: Thomas Edward Turner, Sharon Turner Geis, Nanci Lee Balassone, Jayne Ellen Battey, and Robert Richard (Toby) Turner.

After they retired, Buzz and Cookie took a trip down the Inland Waterway and eventually found their way to Winter Springs, Florida--where amazing new friendships were born out of Cookie's warmth and hospitality. In 2011 they moved to Mt. Dora to be closer to their two sons, and it is here where Cookie spent her final daysby her husband's side and surrounded by the love of family and close friends.

Cookie Turner was a loving and kind wife and mother, a successful business-woman, and compassionate community leader. While family always came first to Cookie, she was also a highly capable businesswoman who was a Dutchmaid Representative for the Lower Connecticut River Valley for over 20 years. She was well ahead of her time in balancing family and work and making the most of flexible work hours. She served for over a decade as a volunteer with the Deep River Women's Auxillary and one term as President. She was an avid gardener, loved flowers, chocolate, and feeding her family. She served as first mate and chief cook and bottlewasher for countless boating excursions on the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound, and she endured endless family road trips around New England with great humor, wit, and warmth.

Cookie had this way of making everyone around her feel better about themselves. What a gift she gave the world; how we will miss her smile, her touch, her bright blue eyes, and her warm and loving presence.

In lieu of flowers, the family has set up a fund with the American Heart Foundation. Please donate on in Cookie's memory at http://honor.americanheart.org/goto/Cookie.Turner.