We’re sad to report that Harrier Hon Life Member Colin Turner has died this week aged 80. Colin ran with the Harriers through the 1980s, the 1990s, the 2000s, and into the current decade. He was one of the early members of the Club, and led many of the Wednesday runs from the Rugby Club, encouraging newcomers, young and old and taking an interest in what other Harriers got up to, and swapping reports on various races.
Quantock Beast 2005
Cotswold Way Relay 2004
Colin's first marathon at Birmingham
Colin’s daughters Felicitie & Stef have sent us this message:
“Dad was a member of the Harriers for many years until his dementia led to him no longer being able to run.
Dad always wore his Harriers vest with great pride, whether it was the London Marathon, the Ash fun run, Parret Relay, Montecute, Quantock Beast or the many other small and large events he attended, often with me (eldest daughter Stef) in tow with all his gear.
Dad particularly relished the Grizzly, and also took pride in the fact that he had some responsibility for introducing new female Harriers to the world of running.
Being a member of the Harriers was a really important part of Dad's life for many years, and we would like to thank those members who continued to support him when he was clearly starting to deteriorate and struggling with basic things.
Dad's funeral service will take place on Monday 22nd June 9:45 am at The Mendip Crematorium on the old Shepton Road. Anyone who wishes to attend will be very welcome to join us. It will be a very simple affair celebrating his life and all that was important to him. We're only taking a few flowers from the garden for him as he preferred to see them in their natural environment. The dress code is whatever people feel comfortable in, rather than anything sombre. Dad will be wearing his Wells City Harriers fleecy jacket with pride.”
Looking back:
Colin travelled far and wide to run for the Club and helped to team manage the Cross-Country team in the early days when we competed in the now defunct Avalon League. Annette Hennessy recalls how she used to help Colin put up the Harrier tent at these events. Whilst Berni Mundy recalls the numerous training runs they used to do when Colin was in marathon training.
He was always keen to take on new races, and he helped devise the Mendip Duo race with fellow Harrier Ian Teasdale, working out the best route and sorting out permissions. He encouraged running in the hills, and no doubt he ran the hill to his house in Beryl Lane many times in his life. Apart from the Grizzly he often ran at the Dorset Three Peaks race (the Stickler) and was a willing recruit to the Harrier’s Cotswold Way Relay team. Even when getting a bit slower and frail he often used to say he’d rather be out running.
He put a lot into the Club in various ways. He helped out at the Club’s Mendip Half Marathon in the 1980s and the Gerry Murray races in the 1990s and contributed greatly to the Harrier’s 21st anniversary history publication back in 2002, so that new members could see where we’d come from, and maybe think about where we could go He was made an Hon Life Member for all that he did for the Club, and we’ll miss him.
Our thoughts are with his daughters at this time, and any Harriers with memories of Colin they’d like to share with them can do so at the funeral service.