Turner reflects on fulfilling 101 years

Alice Turner is one of those rare individuals who in less than two months will have had the privilege of having lived in three centuries.

"I don't remember much about the first one -- I was only 2," said Turner, who turns 101 on Nov. 23 and has been a Las Vegas resident since January 1937.

"And of course my life was so much more exciting when I was younger. There is nothing you can do about growing old so I have always felt that you should do the best you can with it."

Few can argue that Turner has not done the best with her life:

"It's interesting work, and I enjoy doing it," Turner said. "I have a very strong feeling that when you are given so much in life you should return something to the community, no matter how old you are."

Raised in a small farming community, Turner, widow of longtime Standard Oil executive Clesse Turner, has always looked at Las Vegas as a big city, even when she moved here 62 years ago and there wasn't much to the future gambling capital.

"There were about 6,000, maybe 7,000 people here back then," Turner said. "For entertainment, we used to walk up and down Fremont Street on Saturday nights -- there was no Strip back then and not many of the streets were paved.

Turner, a mother of two, grandmother of six and great grandmother of 11, is happy to see the booming growth that has raised the Las Vegas Valley's population to greater than 1 million.

"I think it is absolutely wonderful," she said. "If everything stayed the same, things would be so dull. Progress is great."

Turner said that growing up on a farm in the early part of this century was a challenge -- one she couldn't wait to get away from. After graduating from high school, Turner left for St. Joseph Hospital in Denver where she was paid $6 a month while attending nursing school.

"Out of that, I had to buy my uniforms, shoes and books," she said. "Once a month I would treat myself by going to a diner and ordering a scrambled egg sandwich. It cost 15 cents."

Turner has had a lifetime love of automobiles. Her first ride in one was 1906, when she was offered a lift home from school. Asked if it was a bumpy ride in one of those early models, she said: "not after you had ridden in a horse and buggy!"

Turner started driving at age 13, got her license a couple of years later and quit driving after having her first accident, a fender-bender, when she was 98.

"When you have to start worrying about being in accidents because your reflexes have been slowed by age, then that is the time to quit driving," Turner said.

Her career as a nurse was short-lived. As was the custom in the early part of this century, Turner quit working after she got married. She and Clesse, who died 30 years ago, settled in Las Vegas after Clesse was transferred to Southern Nevada by Standard Oil.

Although Turner never again would work for a living, she remained active as a volunteer. As long as Turner or anyone else can remember, she has been a familiar face at Child Haven. Turner used to make birthday cakes for the children of the various cottages and coordinate parties.

Although well into her 80s, Turner was first in line to lend comfort to AIDS patients at UMC -- at a time when AIDS was very much misunderstood and victims were treated worse than lepers.

"I didn't volunteer with the intent to be the first. I did it because these people needed someone to talk to," Turner said. "They seemed to like talking to an outsider, especially those whose families had deserted them. I used to try to get them to talk about their good times and that seemed to make them feel better."

Turner has a way of making a lot of people feel good, even those whose job it is to look after her.

"Alice has given so much to me and to others," Florence Bunning, her caregiver, said. "She is kind, sweet and loving."

When Bunning's son died last year, it was Turner, the patient, who gave comfort to Florence, the caregiver, and helped her through that traumatic time.

Ann Langebin, director of the West Sahara Library, marvels at how her longtime friend was an avid reader well into her 90s and kept up on current affairs by reading several newspapers a day.

"Alice has always been forthright in her opinions and has kept up to date on the issues," Langebin said. "Even since she started losing her sight, she has enjoyed listening to audio books. And Florence reads the newspapers to her."

Asked what she thinks the greatest accomplishment of the 20th century was, Turner said: "Aviation. It has brought the world together." She was born five years before Orville and Wilbur Wright flew the first engine-driven plane at Kitty Hawk, N.C.

Asked what she feels the saddest moment of the 20th century was, Turner lowered her head and said: "President Kennedy's assassination."

Asked what her secret to longevity is, Turner said she remained active, never smoked and enjoys two glasses of wine every night.

"I just hope my good health continues and that I don't ever become a burden to anyone," Turner said. "I have no regrets."

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