Donald David Turk

Don passed away, peacefully, at the Highlands at Brighton Nursing Home, in the early hours of May 8, 2025 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. He was 78.

Survived by his beloved wife of 35 years, Ruth Tushingham; Children Margi (Brian) Resch, Brendon (Amy) Turk and R. Aaron (Connie) Turk, Grandchildren Landon and Eddie Resch, Gavin and Rorey Turk, and Carson and Kennedy Turk; Step-Children Katie (Christopher) Stevenson and Michael (Kimberly) Shade, Step-Grandchildren Maddie and Andy Stevenson and Ellie and Nate Shade. Also survived by brothers Dennis (Ann) Turk and Douglas (Judy) Turk, sister Sandra (Ron) Hubbell and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Also, survived by his first wife and the mother of his children, Susan (Jim) Striegel, “foster” son Steve Kornaker, and many dear colleagues and friends. Predeceased by his parents, J. Clay and Fay Turk and sister, Frances Turk. Also predeceased by his mother-in-law, Jana Tushingham, whom Don invited into his and Ruth’s home 23 years ago. She liked him best.

Don was born December 5, 1946 in Joplin, Missouri. He and his family moved to Rochester, New York where his father worked at Kodak for many years. Don went to School # 7 in Rochester and John Marshall High school where he played soccer, and got up to “some” mischief with his friends, while doing well academically. It was in high school that he discovered his love of singing and was encouraged to pursue this talent by his teachers. He used this talent throughout his life and ministry. After graduation in 1964, Don attended Clarkson University, graduating in 1968 with a degree in mechanical engineering, following his father and brothers in their career choice. It was also while at Clarkson that he recognized his love of the humanities and enjoyed writing and “playing around” with language. This love of language translated into many beautifully worded sermons, pastoral newsletters, limericks, poems and letters/cards to friends and family.

Don married Susan Higham, the mother of his three children, in 1968 and worked at Kodak in quality control. He and Sue became interested in the United Methodist Church’s U-2 missionary program and together they went through training and were assigned to Red Bird Mission, in Beverly, Kentucky in 1970. While at Red Bird, Don and Sue were dorm parents and teachers; Don taught math, physical education, coached basketball and drove the school bus. Also, while at Red Bird, two of their three children were born: Margaret Ann (Margi) in 1971 and Brendon in 1973. After their initial three year commitment, Don and Sue went to Colorado in 1974, and Don went back to work at Kodak. The family missed Red Bird, so they returned to Kentucky for a further 7 years. The third of their three children, R. Aaron (Aaron), was born in Kentucky in 1974. It was during this time that Don felt the Call to ordained ministry. The family moved back to Rochester in 1981, where he attended Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, receiving his Master of Divinity degree in 1984. He was ordained an Elder in the United Methodist Church in 1986.

He served congregations at West Ave United Methodist Church, Rochester, NY (1984-1988), Macedon Center-South Perinton UMC, Macedon and Fairport, NY (1988-2004), and finally, Greece United Methodist Church (2004-2010), from which he retired in 2010. Don loved preaching, planning worship, picking just the “right” hymns, crafting prayers, teaching and being “pastor” to all the members of his congregations; the administration part, not so much. He was always grateful for good administrative assistants and committee chairs.

He held several positions on the Conference/District level throughout his years in ministry, including the District Committee on Ordained Ministry (Registrar 1989-2002), Conference Board of Pensions and Board of Ordained Ministry. He was a mentor, Field Ed Supervisor and UMC Swim Camp Counselor. Outside of the United Methodist Church, he served as Chaplain at Advent House, a hospice residence, for five years, worked with Habitat for Humanity and Dollars for Scholars.

After Don’s first marriage ended, he met Ruth and they were married in February 1990. Together they served Don’s churches in Macedon Center-South Perinton and Greece UMC until his retirement.

He was a wonderful preacher, teacher, a caring pastor and genuinely kind man. His life experiences, both good and bad, gave him an understanding of people and their life situations and this, plus his love of language and words, made him a very effective preacher and counselor. He was kind and caring to all.

Don loved many things. Most important to him though, were his wife, Ruth, his children and grandchildren and his step-children and grand-children. He loved spending time with them, babysitting as infants and toddlers, and, as they all got older, attending numerous sports events and concerts, from T-Ball to high school sports and beyond. His math skills and teaching ability made him the “go to” tutor for all the children and grandchildren during their school years. He loved playing silly games, rough-housing (just don’t touch his glasses), making weird noises with the kids and grand kids and going “exploring” in spooky, dark basements.

He loved singing and playing the guitar. He and Ruth were charter members of the Lyric Chorale and Don sang with the group for many years until Parkinson’s Disease made singing too difficult. One of his regular “gigs” was singing the National Anthem at the Macedon Center annual Lumberjack Festival. He said the trick to singing that difficult song a capella, was to be able to find the right starting note... all the time. Ruth became very tired of hearing the starting notes of the anthem for weeks before the performance.

Don loved reading, working word puzzles (even taking up crossword puzzle construction in his retirement), riding his motorcycle with his “gang”, riding bicycles with Ruth along the many trails in the area, doing counted cross stitch, traveling, and “just being” together with Ruth. He loved good wine, good whiskey, good food and good fellowship with his close friends and colleagues. He even enjoyed a good cigar, once (maybe twice) a year. The Palmyra-Macedon-Farmington Clergy group was especially precious to him and he cherished all the colleagues who became dear friends. The Olmsted group of his UMC Clergy colleagues was also very special and provided a chance to get away both for fellowship and spiritual renewal, and the occasional cigar.

He was an avid University of Kentucky Basketball and Dallas Cowboys fan. One of his great joys was watching the games with his children, and taking part in the fast-paced (not so fast for Don) text conversations with the kids when they couldn’t watch together. They were a superstitious family about the games, often lining the shelves and TV with memorabilia to create good Mojo for the games. He could shoot a mean hoop himself and love playing with the kids.

Don loved a good joke and loved telling them, going so far as to practice them on Ruth (eye-roll here) before joining friends for an evening or vacation (Steve and Nancy Howarth, you know). He liked bad “Dad” jokes and the kids and grand kids indulged him.

Don was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2015, and managed the varied and increasingly debilitating symptoms for many years before it got the better of him. Thank you to Wellness360, Lindsay Perez PT, and Kristen Trottier PT for the physical therapy, even when he didn’t want to do the exercises. Thank you to Kassandra Dube, our home aide, for all her assistance and being the one person to get Don to do his exercises at home.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Highlands at Brighton for their wonderfully kind and compassionate care of Don (and Ruth). They even, good naturedly, laughed at his jokes. Also, a thank you to the Hospice Team from Highland Hospital. You were all so kind.

Calling hours/open house will be Thursday, May 22, 2025 from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Curry Building at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schegel Rd., Webster, NY. Don’s celebration of life will take place later in the summer.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a gift in Don’s memory to the Parkinson’s Foundation or The Lyric Chorale (thelyricchorale.org).