Zeke Turlane
91-plus, Bass Lake

Zeke Turlane, who often said, “I wasn’t born yesterday,” died yesterday.

He was just the other side of 91.

Zeke spent his formative years in the town of Northwest City. His informative years were spent elsewhere.

He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the Antarctic Theatre. After the war, he met Jane Hugo. This relationship ended badly.

On June 1, 1951, he married Betty Mason, whom he met during an accidental trip through Bass Lake. They eventually settled here (or there, depending on your current location), and he went to work at The Bank Downtown.

He retired from the bank in 1989, just before the first wave of mergers and buy-outs.

“ATMs ruined everything,” Zeke often said. “That, and personalized checks.”

Zeke is survived by his wife, Betty; two sons, Milton (Gernie) and Gary (non-married); a daughter, Varlene (Mike) Yankins; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; cousins; and others.

There will be no visitation; a non-conversational viewing is set for noon-2 p.m. Monday at St. Methodist Catholic Church.

A graveside service and probable burial will take place at Country Junction Cemetorium, as soon as everyone can get there.

Memorials are requested to the family or to a charity, or to both, if money’s burning a hole in your pocket, as Zeke often said, laughing.