John and Carol Turner passed away in 2011 and 2014, respectively but were always extraordinarily generous to WFSS and still stand out among WFSS’s all-time financial supporters. When the Watering the Seeds of Change Capital Campaign was launched, Carol made a significant lead gift to create The John B. Turner Memorial Fund (aka Turner Capital Reserve Fund), a fitting tribute to John’s legacy, for it was he who researched what to buy and raised funds for WFSS’s first truck-mounted drilling rig. The rig was a workhorse that served WFSS well for many years.

John was a devoted WFSS volunteer and instrumental in our work. He served as WFSS’s first Chief Operating Officer from 2004 until his death, dedicating himself to helping Salva improve operations, solve logistical challenges, and grow the organization. A 55-year member of Rotary and believing strongly in the organization's power, John built important links between WFSS, Rotary Clubs, and Rotary International, determined to spread the word about Water for South Sudan to all Rotaries everywhere.  In his 80's, he traveled with Salva to Africa to help deliver our second drilling rig and represented WFSS in Istanbul, Turkey, at the World Water Forum, where WFSS was recognized as a finalist in the 2009 Kyoto World Water Prize.

WFSS’s 2017 Long Walk Award was presented to John and Carol Turner’s children: Anne Turner, Joshua Turner, Jennifer Deuel, and Charles Turner. This second generation, and many of their children, all support WFSS, including through their own Rotary affiliations. Anne is currently a member of the Board of Directors and co-chaired the Watering the Seeds of Change Capital Campaign, carrying on her parents' passion for helping South Sudan's people access clean water and all of the opportunities made possible by that access.