Michael John Turnbull

Michael “Mike” John Turnbull, 83, passed away on September 30, 2022, in Fort Collins, Colorado, his home of more than 50 years. Born August 24, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York, the only child of William and Mildred Turnbull. He had an adventurous childhood, making for many great stories. The family moved to Wilmington, Delaware, where his father worked at Wilmington Trust. Mike attended Dupont High School and The University of Delaware, where he was the captain of the golf team and had a memorable match against Jack Nicklaus, losing by only 2 strokes. He enlisted in the Airforce and went to officer’s candidate school in San Antonio, Texas. He was then stationed at William's Air Force base, near Phoenix, where he met Barbara, who he courted and married three months later. He attended personnel officer training and was then stationed in Misawa, Japan Air Force Base for three years. He travelled around Asia competing in golfing and sharpshooting tournaments representing the Air Force. After being honorably discharged, he went to work for the US Census Bureau in Golden, Colorado. Yearning to learn more about the natural world, he enrolled in Fishery Biology at Colorado State University where he and his wife settled in what was then small-town Fort Collins, Colorado. Graduating with honors he began working for the US Fish and Wildlife Service but decided he preferred fishing as a hobby rather than a career. He began working for the City of Fort Collins at the Water treatment plant, where he was able to bring his knowledge of water safety and health and worked for almost 30 years, until retiring in 2001. He enjoyed many outdoor activities including golfing, fishing, hunting, and skiing. He was a loving father, raising his two daughters, Maureen and Katie, with his wife. Mike provided a constant stream of creative stories, goofy faces, pranks, and was a source of endless facts for trivia games, crossword puzzles, and school projects. He never met a museum placard he wouldn’t read in full, a word whose complete origins he didn’t know, or a sweet he wouldn’t devour down to the last crumb. His creative mind was constantly inventing solutions to problems he encountered in his daily life. Mike had amazing ability to fix anything with a tube of shoe glue and a roll of duct tape. He knew how to make the ordinary feel extraordinary. He will be dearly missed by his wife Barbara, daughters Maureen and Katie (Kathleen), grandson William Benito and granddaughter on the way. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice as he cared for people, animals, and causes around the world.

Michael John Turnbull

August 24, 1939 - September 30, 2022