Lt. Colonels John and Theresa Turner love people. Both third-generation Salvationists, they met while growing up in the Army and married in 1976, remaining soldiers and serving at the St. Louis Maplewood, Mo., Corps, as they started their life together.
After 10 years building successful careers, John as a private contractor and Theresa as an executive assistant, they left it all behind in favor of following God’s call to officership.
“We had both felt called in our younger years and had kind of ignored it,” Colonel John said. “Then at a spring youth retreat we felt God’s urging. In August of that year we were in training.”
Commissioned in 1988 with the “Messengers of Joy” session, the Turners enjoyed serving in corps and divisional appointments throughout the Midwest for 35 years. While they felt fulfilled as corps officers, they embraced the opportunity to utilize their gifts and talents in divisional roles, with Colonel Theresa leading in the youth, women’s and development departments while Colonel John worked as finance or general secretary. In each appointment, the Turners maintained a focus on building relationships and ministering to those around them.
“We love working with people,” Colonel Theresa said. “Daily interaction—whether at the corps with soldiers or at DHQ with officers and employees—I think that’s what we’ll miss the most.”
The Turners led three divisions, including navigating the Eastern Michigan Division through the pandemic and the transition during Project Advance resulting in the Great Lakes Division (GLD). They retired as divisional commander and divisional leader for officer development of GLD.
Colonel John concluded, “My favorite appointment has always been the one we were in. Now that we’re going into retirement, we’re looking forward to this being our favorite appointment as well, still allowing God to use us.”
