Rev. William Samford Turner

William Samford Turner was born on January 14, 1947, to Lois Heiter Turner and John Tyler Turner in Mobile, Alabama. He spent his childhood and junior high years in Mobile before graduating from The McCallie School in 1965.

Having been a life-long Alabama fan, he began his college years at the University of Alabama while ultimately graduating from the University of South Alabama with a degree in business with concentration in finance. In 1966, Samford met Carol Jane Graham, Nebraska’s Junior Miss for that year, as his parents hosted her during the pageant. He soon began corresponding with her while she attended the University of Nebraska resulting in an invitation to the 1967 Sugar Bowl between Alabama and Nebraska. The two continued their long-distance romance which culminated in their wedding on July 10, 1971.

After their wedding, they moved to Atlanta for Samford to start his MBA at Emory University. Soon after graduation in 1973, the two volunteered for the Peace Corps and were assigned to Bogota, Colombia. There they spent the next two years with Samford working in the development bank to promote growth and skill acquisition for small and medium-sized businesses and Carol teaching dental students and creating a dental hygiene training program.

In 1975, they returned to Mobile for Samford to manage his father’s construction company. Having returned to his home church, Government Street Presbyterian, they became involved in youth ministry. Subsequently, Samford was asked to serve on staff at Government Street as the minister of administration and youth. While on staff at the church, Samford worked with ministers of many denominations and worked in street ministry in downtown Mobile and in prison ministry locally.

On one of many Montreat conferences he attended, Samford had the pleasure of meeting Walter Brueggemann. In their conversation, Dr. Brueggemann encouraged Samford to enter the ministry which he did in 1983 at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. After his three years at Union, he and Carol heard God’s call to First Presbyterian Church in Foley, Alabama.

Samford was the senior pastor at First Presbyterian in Foley for 15 years where he and his family were loved and nurtured by that amazing congregation. He worked cooperatively to start an ecumenical youth group with Episcopal, Methodist and Presbyterian churches in the area. He worked closely with Church Women United and Ecumenical Ministries in community outreach and the promotion of racial inclusivity and church partnerships. Samford also facilitated the development of a Hispanic ministry and congregation during his tenure in Foley. With the help of people in the Foley church, the Presbytery, and pastors throughout the state, he spearheaded the foundation and implementation of Alabama Presbyterian Campus Ministry in several state colleges. He was also instrumental in the formation of Alabama Presbyterian Cursillo, a community devoted to prayer, study and the deepening of personal faith in Christ and support of one another.

In 2002, Samford was elected as the executive presbyter of the Presbytery of South Alabama. During his time in this role, he worked tirelessly to strengthen churches large and small and to equip lay people for leadership in their churches. Samford also sought to identify and nurture people with gifts in ministry, encouraging them in their calls to the pastorate. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, he helped to organize local churches to house volunteer teams from around the country. These teams worked to feed and clothe survivors and to rebuild and provide long-term support in the restoration of the many devastated communities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

When Samford retired as executive presbyter in 2016, he went on to do interim work around the presbytery for a time before he and Carol moved to Augusta, Georgia in 2018. There they attended Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church and became active members. Samford also helped in the Northeast Georgia Presbytery with pulpit supply and session moderating. As of late, he had found a new calling in ministering to other stroke survivors at Reid.

Throughout his life, Samford found refuge and respite through nature. He particularly loved to fish, bird watch, and kayak the rivers and delta in South Alabama. He and Carol enjoyed hiking whether in the mountains of Northern Alabama, in Four Corners of the Southwest or in Patagonia. He loved the gopher tortoises and deer in his backyard and was also known to hand feed the racoons from his deck on Green Branch.

Samford was a wonderful cook who loved good food and sharing it with others. Cooking for others was his love language and hospitality was his gift. He knew the fellowship that came from breaking bread together and seized on any opportunity to bring people to the table. Samford was also known to love a glass of good wine as many a friend would testify.

Samford is survived by his devoted wife of 54 years, Carol Graham Turner and his children, Maria Turner Jenkins (Barry) and Samford Graham Turner (Lauren). He leaves behind three beloved grandchildren, William Rhys Jenkins, Alicia (Allie) Campbell Jenkins and Bonnie Wren Turner along with many dear nieces, nephews and cousins. Samford was preceded in death by his parents and his wonderful brother, John Tyler Turner, Jr.

A service of celebration of Samford’s life will be held on January 5, 2026, at 10:00am at Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church in Augusta, Georgia. The family will receive visitors after the service. Another service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Foley, Alabama in coming months. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that donations be made in Samford’s memory to the Golden Harvest Food Bank in Augusta or the Presbyterian Home for Children in Talladega, Alabama.

Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com