Matters of the Heart

Mike and Marge Turner: 52 years of swaying to the music together

by Mary Jo David (as shared by the Turners)

Michael (“Mike”) Turner and Margaret (“Marge”) Jeruzal met on a blind date in the summer of 1970. A member of the Michigan Camaro Club at the time, Mike agreed to join a friend—a fellow club member—and the friend’s wife who were going out to celebrate their recent nuptials. Likewise, Marge’s girlfriend, the recent bride, convinced Marge to go along for the celebration.

When the evening was over, Mike went home and told his mom he’d met the girl he was going to marry. When Marge got home, she told her family she wouldn’t be going out with Mike again because all he could talk about was cars!

Following that blind date, Marge told Mike he should only call if he had something to talk about besides cars. Mike proceeded to phone Marge every night for a week to read her articles from the newspaper!

Over time, they learned they had a lot in common, and a year later, in June 1971, they were married at St. Sebastian Catholic Church in Dearborn Heights.

The Turners were gifted with two children—a son and a daughter. Their son, Michael, was named after his dad. Marge explained that since she is a Virgo (an “earth child”), she named their daughter “Terren” after the earth. Terren and her husband, Gerald Backus, live nearby in Fowlerville.

At the age of 15, young Michael was diagnosed with ALS, the same disease that had taken Marge’s mother’s life when Marge was just a baby. At that time, the couple determined the Stockbridge school system was a good fit for Michael’s needs, so they moved to Gregory.

“All the while he attended school in Stockbridge the district was sensitive to Michael’s needs,” Marge explained. “We were overwhelmed by the caring the school showed to us and our son,” she added. Sadly, Michael passed away when he was 18.

Prior to retiring, Mike worked as a machinist. After Terren started college, Marge went back to school to study design, at which point, her career shifted into high gear. She worked in management at Home Depot, then helped start a custom frame shop at JOANN. That led to running a home-based framing company for 15 years, after which, she trained and started a manicure business.

Although Mike gave up his Camaro fairly early in their marriage, Marge admitted she was surprised to find the couple shared an appreciation for motorcycles. All these years later, they still ride one together. Aside from their need for speed and an interest in home improvement projects, the couple pursues separate interests; Mike is an avid hunter and fisherman, and Marge enjoys gardening, landscape design, and interior decorating. Oh, and don’t forget shoe shopping!

Through their ups and downs, the couple has relied on their love for each other, their faith in God, and a shared respect for honest communication and laughter.

“I admire Marge’s tolerance,” Mike explained. “After all, she puts up with me,” he said with a laugh.

Marge appreciates Mike’s strength and honesty.

“When things get difficult, Michael turns to me, swoops me in his arms, and says, ‘Dancing is allowed,’” Marge explains. And together they gain strength from each other as they sway to whatever music is in their hearts at that moment.

Clearly, in 52 years of marriage, the Turners have come a long way from the days of needing to share a newspaper to have something to talk about!

Photos provided by the Turners.

The Turner family, including their pup Lucky, in earlier times, posing for a picture before heading out for the day.

For 52 years, the Turners have relied on their love for each other, their faith in God, and a shared respect for honest communication and laughter.