Lorene Jones Turpin

Mrs. Lorene (Jones) Turpin, age 84, passed away peacefully June 7,2024  at home surrounded by her loving family.

She was born August 21, 1939, in Blairsville. GA near Plott Town Road in Young Harris, GA where her parents, the late Hoyt and Ethel (Collins) Jones eventually settled. Lorene's mother, at the age of nine, was orphaned in Dalton, Ga by the

1918 Spanish Flu. For her childhood (ages 1-6), Lorene was raised by her Uncle Waymon Jones and Aunt Georgie, who had recently lost a young child of similar age. She is preceded in death by her husband Joel and daughter, Regina Mallonee, as well as all her siblings.

Lorene was a star basketball player for Towns County High School from 1954-57, being a top scoring forward in '56 & 57, and she participated in multiple PTA-fundraising alumni basketball games. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was a longtime member of Calvary Baptist Church.

A past PTA president (twice), she and Joel ran the Friendship convenience store in the '80s, before they owned J&L Grocery in the '90s, closer to home on Streak Hill Rd, which, grew into a popular movie rental store and breakfast/lunch cafe for the Presley/Hiawassee River community. In her later years, she provided elderly care services to many in the surrounding community and volunteered at the VFW Thrift Store.

Survivors include two sons; Anthony Joel Turpin (Nadine) and John Timothy Turpin, a daughter; Michelle Hicks (Chris Payton); nine (9) grandchildren, and eleven (11) great-grandchildren ranging in age from 2-15 as well as three sisters-in-law Imogene (Holmes) Turpin, Billie (Byers) Jones, and Oleta (Gibson) Taylor.

Lorene enjoyed watching and feeding birds, Sunday drives, picnics, motorcycle touring, cooking and gardening. She shared her love of flower gardening and the outdoors with all of her grandchildren. She was very proud of her family and loved any opportunity to get together. She will be greatly missed.

The family will receive visitation on Saturday, June 22,  from 1:00 - 3:00 pm at Banister-Cooper Funeral Home. A private family service will be held at a later date with interment at Macedonia Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, Lorene encourages you to make donations to Calvary Baptist Church and their Missions, and/or Building Fund at PO Box 1055, Hiawassee, GA 30546, or go online at cbchiawassee.churchcenter.com.