Helen Louise (Cline) Turner was born May 12, 1937, at the Cline homeplace on the Niangua River near Charity, Mo., the daughter of Johney Cline and Veda (McDaniel) Cline. She passed away October 16, 2022, at the home of her daughter, due to COPD and congestive heart failure. She was 85 years 5 months and 4 days of age.
Helen attended Charity Elementary and graduated from Buffalo High School in 1956. She was united in marriage to Wilburn "Web" Turner on November 30, 1957. To this union were born two children, Shirley Jean and Burley Dean.
As a young girl, Helen took her first job staying with and caring for an elderly neighbor, riding the school bus home on weekends. She was the secretary for May Pitts Gann, Dallas County Superintendent of Schools for several years, starting while in high school. The Cline family was talented musically, and as a teenager Helen purchased a guitar and confidently drove to Springfield, Mo., to audition for the nationally broadcast live radio show, the Ozarks Jubilee, styling her singing, playing, and knack for comedy after June Carter. She worked for Dallas County Schools several years including the snack bar, Teeters Floral & Zenith, Springfield. After retiring she opened Helen's Diner in 1989, building it adjoining her husband's Web Turner Small Engine at their home at Cloverdale on the Long Lane rural route. She was a member of Buffalo VFW Post 4080 Auxiliary and the Dallas County Retired School Employees, and volunteered for OACAC, Long Lane School, Mighty Might Football, and Dallas County Library.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and son-in-law Ronnie Flippin; 3 brothers, Cecil, Billy, and Jerry Cline; 4 sisters, Birdie Lucille, Daisy Turner, Tiny Tucker, and Ruby Jean. She is survived by her daughter Shirley (Turner) Flippin, Urbana, and son Burley Turner & wife Loretta, of Long Lane; grandchildren Roxie Flippin & husband Michael Elliott, Ross Flippin & wife Amber, Brandon Turner & wife Katherine, Rachel Turner, Michael Flippin, Cheri Heldstab, and Kenny Flippin. Great grandchildren Austin Flippin, Rosalie Flippin-Elliott, Alexander Flippin, Victoria Flippin, and Beatrix Turner; two sisters Betty Shively, Marshall, Mo., and Hazel Turner of Buffalo, one sister-in-law Maxine Smith, Buffalo, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Funeral Services for Helen will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 2:00 P.M. at the Cantlon-Otterness & Viets Funeral Home in Buffalo, Missouri. Visitation will take place one hour prior at 1:00 P.M. Interment will take place in the Bethel Cemetery in Charity, Missouri
