Rena Elizabeth Brooks Jesters Turner entered into eternal rest on May 3, 2009. She was the first of three daughters born to the late Arbie B. Brooks and the late Gertrude Blount Brooks of Atlanta.

She received her early training in the public school system of Atlanta. She was a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, attended Clark College and graduated from Blayton School of Accounting and returned to the business department where she taught for nine years. She retired from the Employment Standards Administration, Wage-Hour Division of the United States Department of Labor in the Regional Office in Atlanta after 21 years. While employed with the U.S. Government, she received numerous awards among them the “Outstanding Sustained Performance Award.” In 1990 she was awarded the Pearl-Burney Alumni Association of Madison “Humanitarian Award for Community Involvement.”

She was an ordained evangelist in the Temple of Israel Kingdom Church in Atlanta. She regularly participated in activities of the local churches in Madison. She was a licensed funeral director with the State of Georgia, a life long member of the 7th District of Georgia Funeral Service Practitioners Association.

She was joined in marriage to the late Robert Lee (R. L.) Turner on December 17, 1953. She lived many years in Atlanta but desired to return to Madison after the death of her late husband and assumed the operation of Jones and Turner Funeral Home.

She leaves to cherish her memory a devoted son, William A. “Bill” (Thelma) Justers; grandsons, Edward “Bob” (Kellie) Brooks II of Tacoma, Washington; GeJuan (Latecia) Gordon of College Park, William R. (Yuketha) Justers and Brandon Justers, all of Madison; great-grandchildren, Skylar Antavious and William R. Justers Jr.; god-daughter Roxie Ann Allen of Atlanta; god-son R. D. Cook of Atlanta; special friend Rosa L. Mathis and a host of other relatives and many friends. A god-son Lewis Colbert preceded her in death in June 2002.

Funeral service was held at 12 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 at Springfield Baptist Church with Evangelist Stella Head officiating.

Pallbearers were members of Jones and Turner Staff. Honorary pallbearers were members of the 7th District Funeral Directors. Flower Ladies were members of the 7th District Funeral Directors; and honorary flower ladies were members of the Eastern Star.

Arrangement entrusted to Jones & Turner Funeral Home and 7th District Funeral Directors.

Printed in the May 21, 2009 edition.