Barbara Jean Turpin

Mrs. Barbara Jean Matlock Turpin of Cleveland, and later Blairsville, Georgia passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of November 4, 2024. She immediately joined other deceased family members and loved ones in the presence of her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in her eternal heavenly home. She was born in Drumright, Oklahoma on March 29, 1928, and delighted in sharing that she was delivered by a full-blooded Cherokee Indian... Dr. Orange Starr. An only child, Barbara Jean moved with her parents to Chamblee, Georgia during her high school years. This is where she met Jack Turpin, her future husband and the father of her two sons. She was a devoted wife, mother and caretaker for her family... always putting their needs ahead of her own. One of Barbara Jean’s greatest joys was serving her Lord for decades as a children’s Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Chamblee. While there she was also a Training Union and Girls in Action (GA) leader, and she was active in the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) program. She and Jack moved from Chamblee to Dunwoody where they finished raising their family. Following Jack’s retirement, they moved to Cleveland and became faithful members of Cleveland First Baptist Church. Barbara Jean is survived by her two sons Tony Turpin (wife Brenda) of Saint Simons Island, Georgia and Steve Turpin (wife Lex) of Murphy, North Carolina. She is also survived by six grandchildren, six great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren. Additionally, she was very close to many of her other “bonus” grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren that have been a special blessing through Tony’s second marriage. Barbara Jean was preceded in death by her parents William Follis Matlock and Pauline Lacy Matlock. Jack Turpin, her husband of almost 69 years died in 2014. Barbara Jean enjoyed reading, traveling and collecting antiques with Jack prior to his death. In later years her primary hobbies were working in her yard and art (painting), which she enjoyed until her injuries, and the resulting decreased mobility, made those activities too difficult in her final years. A memorial service will be held on March 29, 2025, at 2:00 pm in the chapel at Barrett Funeral Home, 118 North Brook Street, Cleveland, Georgia with Rev. Dennis Turner officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:00 pm until the service hour. Memorial contributions may be made to Cleveland First Baptist Church in her honor at Post Office Box 250, Cleveland, GA 30528 (firstcleveland.com). To share a memory or to leave an online condolence for the family, please visit www.barrettfh.com Barrett Funeral Home of Cleveland | (706) 865-3101