Dear Colleagues,
The campus community mourns the passing of James Turnure Sr. P’82, who died on Saturday, Oct. 22. James retired as professor emeritus of art in 1992 after 24 years of service to Bucknell.
James is survived by his son, Jim Turnure Jr. ’82.
James joined Bucknell in 1968 as chair of the Department of Art & Art History and quickly became renowned on campus for his introductory course on art history, known as “Art in the Dark.” He was a dynamic lecturer and shared his many artifacts and antiquities with students, later donating them to the Samek Art Museum. His course bridging art history and studio art used a variety of objects to help students understand the connection between making art and studying its history. James’ extensive book collection was also donated to Bucknell. His legacy impacted students across the University’s disciplines, from artists and art historians to scientists and engineers. In addition to the awards listed below, James received the Christian R. & Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1974.
Included below is the complete text of the obituary, as provided by the family.
I encourage you to visit our In Memoriam site to share personal notes of sympathy and remembrance with others.
On behalf of our entire University community, I extend our deepest sympathies to James’ family, as well as to all who knew him at Bucknell.
John C. Bravman
President
Dr. James H. Turnure Sr., 98, a former resident of Lewisburg for more than 50 years, passed into eternal rest Oct. 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 was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Elizabeth F. (Sims) Turnure.
Born and raised in Yonkers, N.Y., 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 in November of 1942, serving in the Signal Corps with tours in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, 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 master’s 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 a.m. Friday, Oct. 28, at Cronrath-Grenoble Funeral Home, South 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 Dr., Lewisburg, PA 17837.
Expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cronrathgrenoblefuneralhome.com.