NOTE: Barbara & Toni celebrate their 50th in 2010!!!
Our Sons and Their Families:
Robert William TURK (son) - Robert is a school teacher at Blanding Elementary School in San Juan School District, as is his wife Valarie (STEVENS) CARROLL TURK. In 2005 Robert was selected as the San Juan School District "Teacher of the Year." In 2007 he was selected to receive the Utah State PTA "Golden Apple" award. They have four daughters: Catherine Ann TURK BRADFORD, Laura Arminta TURK PALMER, Shea Elizabeth TURK MOST and Sarah Eliza TURK.
Valarie's family played a prominent role in early Church history. Her third great-grandfather Lorenzo Dow YOUNG was a brother of Brigham YOUNG. Lorenzo was a member of the Pioneer Company that entered Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. An interesting historical intersection is that Lorenzo supervised the plastering of the Kirtland Temple over the rubble stone from the quarry rented by William Riley HINE (Toni’s ancestor). Valarie's ancestry includes those with the Willie Handcart Company, including two who died, and Hole-in-the-Rock pioneers.
Lawrence Thomas (Larry) TURK (son) - Larry was the Facilities Manager for Natural Bridges and Hovenweep National Monuments. He is currently the Facilities Manager for the Padre Island National Seashore. His wife is Mary Kate (Katie) PALMER TURK. She served as the Blanding City Treasurer for eleven years (Aug 1996-Aug 2007). They share six children: Richard Thomas (Richie) McDONALD, Colby Adam TURK, Amber Shea TURK HUNT, Patricia Saige SLAVENS TODACHINNIE, Kelby Bruce TURK and Palmer Bayles TURK.
Katie has a distinguished heritage. She had an ancestor who was KIA in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. She is a descendant of Newel KNIGHT of the Colesville Branch and Amasa Mason Lyman who was a member of the Pioneer Company that entered Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. Katie's ancestry includes those with the Mormon Battalion, the Martin Handcart Company and the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition.
David Edward TURK (son) - David is the Radiation Safety Officer for the Denison Mines White Mesa Mill in Blanding. His wife Donna Lee MACHACEK TURK is a teacher at Blanding Elementary School. They have three sons: Ryan Anthony TURK, Cameron Michael TURK and Timothy David TURK.
Donna contributes a unique frontier heritage to our family. She has at least eight ancestors who were residents within the Republic of Texas. Her family was from Gonzales and the DeWitt Colony. It is suspected that the Capt. Robert WHITE, who was one of the Alamo Defenders killed in action on March 6, 1836, may have been her fourth great-uncle. Her ancestry also includes the same CROCKETT family from which Davy CROCKETT descended. All of Donna's father's lines link to Moravia and the Czech Republic.
