OBITUARY

Barbara Burroughs Turpit, wife of retired Los Angeles County Superior

Court Judge W. James Turpit for more than 57 years, died Dec. 23 at their

home in Corona del Mar after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. She was

81.

Mrs. Turpit was born and raised in rural Plainville, Kan., and attended

Marymount College in Salina, Kan.

After marrying Turpit, of Nebraska, Mrs. Turpit and her husband settled

in Whittier at the end of World War II, and raised their four children,

Lorrie (Mike) Smith of Corona del Mar; John (Virginia) Turpit of San

Diego; Elizabeth (Herbert) Reynolds of New York City; and Bill Turpit of

Costa Mesa.

In addition to her family responsibilities, Mrs. Turpit was deeply

engaged for three decades with two Whittier organizations, the Altar

Guild at St. Matthias Episcopal Church and the Whittier Republican

Women’s Club, serving in leadership positions with both groups. She was

also active with the Whittier chapter of the National Charity League.

After 43 years of residence in Whittier, Mrs. Turpit and her husband

moved to Corona del Mar in 1988 to be closer to their four

granddaughters, Allison and Catherine Smith and Julia and Anna Turpit.

Mrs. Turpit was known as a loving friend, who was a skilled cook and a

gracious hostess.

A memorial service is planned for 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Matthews

Traditional Episcopal Church in Newport Beach.

Memorial contributions may be made to either the Alzheimer’s Assn. of

Orange County, 2540 N. Santiago Blvd., Orange, CA 92667, or the St.

Matthias Altar Guild, 7560 S. Washington Ave., Whittier, CA 90602.