Rocky Mount -

Benjamin Scott Turner, beloved husband, father and veterinarian, passed away Sunday, November 26, 2023, in the care of his wife of 60 years, Linda Godbold Turner . He was predeceased by his parents, Faison Smith Turner and Hattie Lee Herring Turner of Pink Hill, NC.    In addition to his wife, Dr. Turner is survived by his son James Faison Turner and wife Robin Dunbar Turner of Danville VA and granddaughters, Sarah Turner and her husband Ryan Ross of Tucker, GA  and Caroline Francisco and her husband Joshua Francisco of Danville, VA, his sister, Annette Turner Tyndall of Pink Hill, NC, as well as his sister in law Phyllis Outlaw Godbold of Raleigh, NC and 6 nieces and nephews.

A native of Duplin County, NC,  Ben attended B. F. Grady School from grades 1 to 12.   After 2 years at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill as well as one year at North Carolina State University, he moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma along with his new bride Linda, where he obtained his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1967.   It was during vet school that his son James was born.

Upon graduation, Dr. Turner returned to North Carolina to practice veterinary medicine in a mixed large and small animal practice in Goldsboro, NC.    In 1970, he and his family relocated to Rocky Mount where he became a partner in Riverside Veterinary Hospital.   He served the city and its four-legged citizens for the next 30 years, in practice first with Dr. Lemuel Staton and then with Dr. Robert Cameron.

After retirement from his clinical practice in 2000, Dr. Turner then chose to serve the state of North Carolina as a veterinary hospital inspector for the NC Board of Veterinary Medicine.  For the next 15 years, he traveled the state of North Carolina, ensuring the safety and compliance of clinics from the coast to the mountains and developed a love for the scenic back roads of our wonderful state.  Dr. Turner also served as a President of the NC Veterinary Medical Association and was recognized as Distinguished Veterinarian of the Year in 2001. He was active in, and served also as president, of the Breakfast Optimist Club of Rocky Mount and enjoyed the club's annual Christmas tree sales.

Early during his tenure with the Board, Dr. Turner was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and underwent aggressive treatment including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. With prayer,  a deep faith, and the support of his family and community, he recovered and continued to work.   Unfortunately, the ravages of cancer and side effects of treatment left him with chronic gastrointestinal problems and accelerated the onset of dementia and macular degeneration.    Reluctantly, he retired from the board and his hospital inspection career in 2015, but continued his love of riding the secondary rural roads of North Carolina with Linda until his death.  While he may not have recalled all of his former clients or have been able to recognize everyone, he greatly appreciated comments of gratitude for his work, which he continued to receive when out in the community.

Born into the Presbyterian church, Ben was baptized at age 12 and served his home church in Pink Hill, NC as a pianist before college.  After vet school, he and Linda returned to NC where he continued to serve his church, first as Sunday School teacher for a  boys' class at the Madison Avenue Baptist Church in Goldsboro, then as Sunday School teacher, choir member  Deacon and multiple committee members  at Lakeside Baptist Church, and then First Baptist Church here in Rocky Mount.  While at First Baptist, he joined the Promise Keepers where for 20 years he greatly enjoyed the fellowship of his Christian brothers and continued to remain active until declining health ended his participation last month.

A service of remembrance will be held Thursday November 30th at 2 pm at First Baptist Church of Rocky Mount. The family will greet friends immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made in the memory of Dr. Turner to the Alzheimer's Association of North Carolina, 3739 National Drive Unit 110, Raleigh, North Carolina 27612, or to First Baptist Church of Rocky Mount.