Obituary: Craig Martin Turner, 40-Year Brookfield Resident

Information and Photo Courtesy Cornell Memorial Home

BROOKFIELD, CT — Craig Martin Turner passed away peacefully on April 2, 2024 at Maplewood at Stony Hill, Bethel. At his bedside were his wife of 51 years, Juli, and his beloved dog, Tucker. Craig was a Brookfield resident for 40 years. He was born in Keene, NH, son of Virginia Bartashevich, and stepfather, Roger Bartashevich. He graduated from Keene High School in 196l and enlisted in the Navy.

After discharge from the Navy in 1967, Craig returned to Keene and attended Keene State College for three years. He then moved to Danbury to pursue a career in electro-optical technology. Craig began working at the Wooster Heights facility in Danbury in 1980, the center for developing and manufacturing the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Building on his Navy avionics schooling, self-directed study, and career experience, Craig achieved promotion to principal engineer, without a bachelor’s degree. Craig was dedicated to the Hubble mission and loved working with the highly skilled, creative HST teams that accomplished this complex and historically significant project. After the successful launch, he was thrilled to view the amazing images returned to earth by the Hubble. Craig retired in 2014.

Craig was predeceased by his cousin, Jean Wilder and her husband, Richard, formerly of Keene, NH. He is survived by their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is survived by his cousin, Barbara Baird, of Jaffery, NH, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Craig was predeceased by Barbara’s husband, John.

Craig loved music and was gifted with a wonderful voice. He began singing in childhood and sang in the adult choir at Saint James Episcopal Church in Keene, NH, while still in Sunday School. He continued to sing in the choir until he left Keene for military service. Throughout his life, he sang in his home with friends, in barbershop quartets, played his guitar and sang in pubs, bars, and coffee houses throughout the 60s and 70s. For 30-plus years he sang and played guitar with a group of friends in Brookfield, alternating jams in each other’s homes on Thursday evenings. He sang in the choir at The First Congregational Church in Danbury following his retirement.

Craig loved the natural world: animals, forests, and, especially the ocean. He loved all the adopted dogs that, with his wife, became his family. Craig was kind, generous, intelligent, hard-working, willing to go out of his way to help others, show up when needed, and he was hilariously funny. He was well-loved and will be missed by too many to count.

A Memorial Service for Craig will take place at The First Congregational Church, 164 Deer Hill Avenue, Danbury, on May 10 at 11:00 a.m. A reception at the church will follow at Annie Hall.

Memorial donations can be made in Craig's memory to: Animal Welfare Society, 8 Dodd Road, New Milford, CT 06776, or online here.