***Brooke bravely stood in front of an overflowing sanctuary and spoke these words about her beloved.***
Justin Vaughn Turner: A Mighty Oak of Righteousness, through Christ
August 1, 1978- August 25, 2018
On August 1, 1978 a baby boy was born in Spartanburg, SC to Mary and Craig Turner. The name given to this baby boy was Justin. I’m not sure the reason why they chose that name, but even if they didn’t realize it at the time, God led them to the name that would capture who this man would become. The meaning of the name Justin is: just, upright, righteous. In Psalm 139 we are told that before one of our days is lived, God has authored the story of our lives, from first breath to final breath. God foreknew Justin’s days, the man of integrity, justice, and righteousness that he would be, and most of all that His life would exist for the splendor of our just, upright, and righteous God. Justin was indeed a mighty oak of righteousness, only through his saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Justin grew up in Gaffney, SC- and dearly loved his hometown. When we would return to visit, as we exited the interstate to head to his Mama’s house, he would, almost every time say “the air is just different up here”. We would drive by his old elementary school, now an abandoned building, and before we could even pass it, either the kids or I would say – yes we know, that’s where you went to elementary school. Life in Gaffney as a child and a teenager was simple and sweet. Justin was surrounded with love. As a child and a teenager Justin was always making people laugh, smile, and just feel comfortable. He was raised in church, at Cherokee Avenue Baptist in Gaffney and those early days , being raised in a Godly home and being surrounded around God’s people shaped the man he would become. He worked part time at Buford St Drugs and loved to share stories about his antics with coworkers there.
As a teenager, he fell in love with the sport of cycling. He shared how he would get on his bike and ride as far as he could, and the next day try to ride a little bit further. Justin from early on was a very hard worker – he washed cars to save up money for his dream bike, and then trained for and won cycling races like the Tour de Peach, and completed the very difficult ascent up Mount Mitchell.
After high school Justin moved to Columbia, or “the big city” as they called it in Gaffney – and graduated with a degree in Business from USC. His career began at PepsiCo, and he was a dedicated employee for 18 years.
PepsiCo holds a special place in my heart, not only because it is how he supported our family, but its through Pepsi that we met. My dad, also a long time employee with Pepsi, mentioned to me one day that there was a nice young man from work that he would like for me to meet. He also added that this young man was single, so I already knew my dad was playing matchmaker.
At this time I was working in the corporate world, living in Innsbruck Austria, but came home for a visit in October of 2003. My extended family was in town for my sister’s birthday, and my dad decided this was the perfect time to invite this nice young man to the house to meet me. After I heard that he was coming, I remember telling friends, “this is going to be SO awkward!” – but the amazing thing is, it wasn’t. I remember the moment I first met Justin on my parent’s screened porch at their house in Blythewood. Immediately it was if I had known him forever. It just felt so right, immediately. Justin thought this was a work function, so imagine his surprise when he just walked into a family birthday party. But he was so comfortable in his own skin, and made others comfortable, and it was the furthest thing from awkward. His presence felt like home to me.
A year later, he proposed on that same screened porch where we first met, and in May 2005 we were married. After a long journey to conceive, God blessed us with three beautiful children. Justin was an amazing dad, I really believe one of the best. He was involved and engaged in our children’s lives from minute one. He fiercely loved our children. He helped with homework, he went on bike rides, he kicked the soccer ball around, A couple of weeks ago after chemo treatment, he knew I needed to rest on a Saturday and offered to take the kids to Carowinds for the entire day by himself, so that I could have a quiet home to rest in. This was my husband, always putting his family’s needs before his own.
Justin excelled in his career because of his character and integrity, not because he was a workaholic. Justin was dependable, and a friend to all in the office. When he used to manage a group of route drivers, many of them young men, several would call Justin for wisdom or advice about life. Justin never EVER cheated his family when it came to work, but even still, he was a respected leader and received many awards through the years.
Justin was an incredible athlete, a side of him that many of you may not have even known because he was so humble, and his athleticism did not define who he was. He was an avid cyclist and runner. He completed several marathons and in 2016 he trained for and completed a full Ironman Triathlon. For those of you who do not know, that means a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride, followed by a 26.2 mile run. It’s been said that to train for an ironman is like a full time job, but he never allowed it to infringe on our family time. Many many Saturdays he would start his training rides or runs at 4am in the morning, so he could be finished and have the day with us. It was such a joy for the two of us to go to Louisville for him to compete. I served as his “sherpa” which meant I lugged around his bike, water bottles and gear. It was a dream of his to finish the Ironman and he completed it with a much faster time than he ever expected.
In April of 2015, we got the unexpected news that I had breast cancer. It was in these past three and a half years that my love for Justin grew deeper than I ever knew imaginable as he selflessly loved and supported me through my toughest battle. In every single chemo, he was there. There were so many long, 8 hour days of chemo, that he would be right by my side, in an uncomfortable chair, working on his laptop while I had my infusion. There was never a question in his mind of finding someone else to go with me. He was there. If I ever felt poorly on a given day when he was at work, and I was home with the children, all I would have to do is send him a text that I wasn’t feeling well, and without even being asked he would respond “I’m on my way home”.
When my cancer returned, and progressed to stage IV, he was there as we traveled frequently to MD Anderson in Houston for tests, appointments and treatments. As I’ve said many times in the past – Justin Turner was my earthly rock.
Last Friday night, the night before Justin died, we were out on a date night. We discussed a men’s discipleship group that he was going to be involved in that was starting soon. I told him that night how proud I was of him that he was one of the men called on to be a leader in the group, and he had been going through training with Josh Desch and Henry Clay on how to facilitate a men’s group. Justin was deeply honored to be a part of this ministry, and I am so grateful for men that God brought into his life to pour into him and grow his faith.
Justin never stood behind a pulpit to preach, and he wasn’t called to be a missionary in Africa, and he wasn’t a best selling Christian author.. but I’ll tell you what Justin was: he was a picture of what it looks like to be an everyday, faithful man of God. He lived it out everyday, where it really mattered – in a thousand small moments that most people never saw. But God gave me the greatest gift and honor of getting to see it, day in and day out. His life exemplified everyday faithfulness.
As a child, I believe around the same age as our son, Justin received Christ to be his Savior. Justin recognized that he was imperfect, he was a sinner, and therefore separated from God. He needed a Savior, and he trusted Jesus, that through Jesus’s death and resurrection, He would be free from the wrath of God, and enjoy fellowship with Him forever.
But it didn’t end there – Justin’s faith wasn’t merely a ticket to heaven, a guarantee for eternity, it shaped his life HERE. Justin was continually growing more rooted in his faith, and allowing it to transform him from the inside out. The words that I’ve shared here about Justin aren’t of a man who simply tried hard to be a good man, and do the right thing. This was a man who leaned fully on Jesus, and it is the light of Christ that you see through the vessel of my husband.
Psalm 90:12 instructs us to number our days, so that we might gain a heart of wisdom. A funeral like this is a heart-wrenching event, but it can also be a life shaping event, as we remember how fleeting life is. Justin’s life was not a tragedy, because he lived 40 Christ-exalting years, and he leaves behind a beautiful legacy, we pray, generation to generation of children, grand children, and great grandchildren who will love and serve Christ, and shine as brightly as Justin did. A true tragedy is to live a life of 80 or 90 years and waste it….to live a long life without intention, without purpose, just letting it slip away without living for something higher than yourself. That, my friends, would be a greater tragedy than even this.
I’d like to close by reading a letter I wrote to Justin three years ago, and shared on my blog in June of 2015 – in the early days of my cancer journey. These sentiments are even more true today than three years ago:
My love,
I knew that first night, that you were the one. We met on a Fall evening on my parent’s porch, and I was immediately drawn to the ease by which you carried yourself. Self assured, but not too-much so. It was if we had known each other for years.
You had little hope in our relationship (being the practical one), as I was living in Europe at the time, but me, being the hopeless romantic knew I’d move anywhere, do anything, if you were “the one”.
That’s exactly what happened. From Austria to Atlanta and finally back to Columbia, the place I never thought I’d call home again.
Eighteen months after we met that warm October night, we were married.
It was one of the happiest nights of my life.
couldn’t wait to spend forever with you.
We’ve been through a lot together in these years of marriage. You supported me unwaveringly as I left a corporate career to start my own business. Infertility. Three babies in 19 months. You’ve been my steady ship.
And now, my love, cancer has rocked our world. I am amazed at you. You’ve been there, in the big and small ways. You’re amazing with the kids. You’ve held my hand, taken over housework, and even fed me like a little bird when I couldn’t hold my head up. You tell me I’m beautiful, even with no hair. And I truly believe you mean it.
I’m so SO thankful that the Lord chose YOU to be by my side through this suffering. I must admit, this was not a characteristic I looked for in a mate. But God knew. He hand picked you for me, knowing what was ahead. And I’m so thankful.
Watching you love me and serve me is a picture of the Gospel. You love me like Christ loves the church. I come to you, empty handed – nothing to give but a broken, needy woman. And you ….you lavish love, support, encouragement over me. And you do it WITH JOY.
The love we share is too deep for words, and even this attempt feels to shallow to express what I feel. You’re truly, the one my soul loves.
