Lawrence Turnquist

Lawrence Turnquist, age 86, of Alta, Iowa died November 12, 2020 at the Good Samaritan Center in Holstein, Iowa. Private family services will take place Saturday, November 21, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. St. Paul Lutheran Church in Alta. To watch the recording of the funeral service, please go to Lawrence's tribute wall. A recording of the service will also be uploaded under the tribute page after the service. Burial will be in the Scandinavian Cemetery in Alta. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Alta is in charge of the arrangements. C. Lawrence Turnquist was born on October 15, 1934, in Alta, Iowa. He was baptized on December 27, 1934, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Alta and confirmed there in 1948. He graduated from Alta High School as a member of the Class of 1952 and began a farming career that would last until the year 2000, when he retired, leaving the care of the land to his sons. He married Myrna Lichtenberg on June 14, 1959, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Hanover and to their union four children were born, Steven, Melody, David and Jonathan. Lawrence was active as a member of the school board for the Alta Community School District from 1970 to 1976. He served for many years as the choir director at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Alta where he also held the offices of elder, trustee and financial secretary. He loved spending time with family and delighted in watching his granddaughters perform at school and church events. He enjoyed singing, bowling, golfing and traveling with his wife, Myrna, and their close friends. In his later years, you could often find him in his basement workshop where he carefully crafted historically accurate model airplanes and ships. In August, 2018, he became a resident of the Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home in Holstein, Iowa. Lawrence was always quick with a joke and a smile and this lightheartedness often set the tone for gatherings of family and friends. He is dearly missed. Preceding him in death were his parents, Carl and Laura; his brother, Richard; and his grandson, Tyler Jonathan. Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Myrna; children, Steve (Eileen), Melody Steed (Brad), David (Laura), and Jonathan (Carrie); seven granddaughters, Ariel Huseman (Michael), Lesa Heckt (Tanner), Alyssa Turnquist (Jorge McDonald), Katie Morris (Tanner James), Ali Wagner (Michael), Alicia and Brittany; and two great-granddaughters, Areylie and Anya.

Lawrence Turnquist

October 15, 1934 - November 12, 2020