Cynthia Elizabeth Turnure Obituary (1940 - 2018)

Cynthia Elizabeth (Perkins) Turnure, passed away on December 28, 2018. She was preceded in death by her partner, Barb Danielson. Survived by sons, Michael H. (Leena Kurki) and James T. (Jennifer); grandchildren, Tess, Niko, Margaret and Otis; sister, Patricia; former husband, James E. Turnure; nieces and nephews. Cindy was a loving person who cared about all she met, especially children and animals. In her youth in California she was an award-winning dog trainer. She was involved in the civil rights movement during the 1960s and carried forward a strong belief in racial justice her entire life. She helped found Saint Paul Open School (now Open World Learning) in 1971. Cindy earned a PhD from Yale (1967) in developmental psychology and held various public service positions in state government. Her professional interests centered on chemical dependency, especially effects on infants and the Native American community. A memorial service to celebrate Cindy's life will be held 1 p.m. SATURDAY January 12 at the Como Park Historic Streetcar Station, Como and Lexington Avenues, Saint Paul, MN.