Dr. James H. Turnure Sr.

Dr. James H. Turnure Sr., age 98, a former resident of Lewisburg for over 50 years, passed into eternal rest October 22, 2022.  Born July 8, 1924, he is survived by one son, James Turnure, Jr. of Dover, PA.; three grandsons James III, Andrew and Daniel Turnure; and two great-grandchildren Harvey and Jane Turnure.  He is preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Elizabeth F. (Sims) Turnure.

Born and raised in Yonkers, NY of humble beginnings to the late James H. and Annie Morton Walls Turnure, he essentially raised himself after losing both parents during childhood.

Working at a jewelry store in his teens, he enlisted in the United States Army November of 1942, serving in the Signal Corps with tours in Morocco, Algeria, Tunesia, Corsica, France, Italy and much of the European Theatre.  As the Second World War ended he continued on in Rome, serving The Department of State, Foreign Service:  American Embassy.

Upon return to the United States, he applied for The G.I. Bill and was accepted to Princeton University, graduating Magna cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with an A.B. degree in 1950.  He continued at the university to achieve a Masters in Fine Arts in 1953 with the distinction of being a Haring Fellow.  From there, he pursued and earned his Doctorate in 1963, all from Princeton.

During his final time of study at Princeton, he began teaching at Cornell University as an Associate Professor and Director of the Honors Program in Art History.  His teaching at Cornell continued until early 1968, at which time he accepted a full professorship at Bucknell University.

Dr. Turnure found his true home at Bucknell and in Lewisburg, continuing his career at Bucknell for over three decades.  Best known for his 101 course “Art in the Dark”, as it was known, he spent many an hour in his study preparing his slides and notes to ensure that magical experience and love for art that he engendered in so many over the years.

In addition to teaching, Dr. Turnure was honored with numerous awards over the years including Samuel H. Kress Professor of Art History (1974), Class of 1956 Lecturer (1974), and the William H. Cooper Distinguished Teaching Award (1986, 1992).  He served as Acting Director of the Bucknell Center Gallery (1992-1995), Chairman of the Board of Directors for Packwood House Museum, and later Trustee, President of the Mid-State Artists Association, Director of Bucknell University Honors Council, and member of the Archeological Institute of America, Phi Beta Kappa.

Friends will be received from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 28 at Cronrath-Grenoble Funeral Home, S. Second and St. Louis streets, Lewisburg.  Burial will follow in the Lewisburg Cemetery where a brief committal service and full military honors will be held.

The family will provide the flowers and suggests memorial contributions in Dr. Turnure’s name be made to Bucknell University, Samek Art Museum, James H. & Elizabeth F. Turnure Purchase Fund:   Bucknell University, Gift Processing, 1 Dent Drive, Lewisburg, PA 17837.