Deborah Marie Turner

Deborah Marie Turner passed away at her home surrounded by family on March 6, 2025, after a long battle with cancer. Deborah (“Debbie”/ “Deb”) Dunbar was born February 9, 1959, to parents Jack and Rose Marie Dunbar. A lifelong resident of Davenport, Debbie graduated from West High School in 1977 and married Mark Turner on August 5, 1978, after he wooed her while working at J.C. Penney’s and disco dancing at Uncle Sam’s nightclub. A striking beauty, Debbie was known for being dressed to the nines, hair and makeup done just so, with matching accessories, shoes, and nail polish.

Deb and Mark made their home in Davenport and raised two children, Anna and Jack. A talented artist and fantastic cook, Debbie was well-known for her beautiful (and delicious) sugar cookies and cakes, as well as her famous cinnamon rolls and cherry danishes. She made countless wedding, birthday, and baby shower cakes, and if she accepted payment, it was usually less than the cost of the ingredients; her satisfaction came from sharing her artistic creations to be enjoyed by all.

The undisputed “hostess with the mostest,” Debbie delighted in hosting parties and holidays, where she elaborately decorated the house, prepared enormous amounts of fabulous food and drinks (always enough so everyone could take home leftovers!), and ensured all her guests had a wonderful time. Deb made everyone’s Christmases magical and memorable and was even known to dress up as an elf. In the summer, she loved having company for pool parties and beautifying her backyard with flowers and plants and handmade decorations. No matter the occasion, Deb made everyone feel welcome and loved.

In addition to being a legendary hostess, Debbie was hard-working outside the home. Early in her marriage, Deb worked three jobs to help Mark graduate from college. She dabbled in a variety of different jobs over the years, ultimately settling in at Davenport Bank (later Wells Fargo), until she retired from 9-5 employment to become an industrious “paper girl” for the Quad-City Times. Deb got up in the wee hours on countless mornings to deliver hundreds of papers, all with a smile, saying “I get my exercise done in the early morning and get paid to do it!”

Those left to honor Debbie’s memory include her devoted husband, Mark; daughter, Anna (Ben) Straley; son, Jack (Beth) Turner; grandchildren, Mackenzie, William, Rosalie, and Camilla; sisters Sara (Sally) Schroeder and Rachel (Brian) Pool; parents-in-law, Neil and Kay Turner; and numerous other in-laws, nieces, nephews, and other relatives and many dear friends of many decades, all of whom truly adored Deb and will cherish countless memories made with (and by) her. Deb was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Jack and Rosie, her older sister, Suzanne, and her brother-in-law, Gary Schroeder.

Per Debbie’s wishes, she will be cremated, and no public visitation or service will be held at this time. Instead, per Debbie’s request, a celebration-of-life “Disco” party will be held at a later date. In her final days, planning her final send-off, touched by many Debbie details, brought her joy and comfort. Information about the celebration will be posted on social media and published in the paper. Online condolences can be left for the family at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Genesis Hospice.  

Debbie will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Her kind heart, radiant smile, and generous spirit illuminated the lives of everyone she met, spreading joy and warmth wherever she went. To know Debbie was to love her; she earned this love simply by being herself.