Jeffrey Daniel Turner (Danny)
December 31, 1952 – March 18, 2026

"Tell it to the bees, lest they
Umbrage take and fly away...
Say he will not come again,
Not in any sun or rain".
-Katharine Tynan (Irish Poet)

Jeffrey Daniel Turner, known to family and friends as Danny (and occasionally "Not Jeffrey"), passed away on March 18, 2026.

Born on December 31, 1952, he was the son of Charles and Betty Turner of Charleston, South Carolina. Danny was preceded in death by his beloved parents and older brother, Charles J. Turner (Joe), his adored in-laws, John and Rose Silva, and his treasured sister-in-law, Sandy (Lane) Silva.

After high school, Danny attended trade school and became a machinist. As a Marine Machinist, first at the Charleston Naval Shipyard, he traveled to locations around the world, including Panama, Spain, and Bahrain. In 1994, he transferred to TRF in Kings Bay, Georgia, where he remained until retiring in 2011 to pursue the career he loved most— full-time beekeeping.

Danny learned the beekeeping craft from his father. He loved working with bees and was a generous, knowledgeable resource for new and experienced beekeepers. Assisted by his wife, Mary, he built a small, family-run business -Honest Dan's Crooked River Honey. Danny was often found at the St. Mary's Community Market, selling his honey in person while enjoying the company of friends, bee and honey enthusiasts, and other
Community Market vendors. Danny's carefully collected and packaged honey is sold in specialty shops, health food stores, and pharmacies, and is shipped throughout the US.

In 2004, Danny met his wife, Mary, at The Island Bar and Grill in St. Mary's. A little over a year later, they were married in Gloucester, MA, the seaside hometown of Mary's father. The couple honeymooned at Gloucester's legendary Crow's Nest of "The Perfect Storm" fame. In the years that followed, the couple regularly road-tripped north, discovering hidden gems in out-of-the-way towns on their way to Cape Ann to spend time with family. They also made similar exploratory road trips to Wisconsin to visit with long-time friends.

Danny loved the outdoors and had a life full of varied adventures, interests, and hobbies. Watersports were at the top of his list of hobbies, and he enjoyed fishing, shrimping, water skiing, scuba diving, and windsurfing. He was especially fond of vacationing in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, where he enjoyed driving through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

More than anything else, Danny was incredibly proud of his daughters, Jennifer and Becca. He loved his family, his friends, his dog, and his bees.

Danny is survived by his wife, Mary (Silva); his daughters, Jennifer Turner of Mexico City and Rebecca (Becca) Turner of Charleston; his sisters, Rebecca Logan (Becky) and Sally Turner; his sister-in-law, Julie Turner; his nieces, Michelle Turner and Amanda Logan; his nephews, Jason Turner, Michael Turner, and Philip Turner; and his great-nephews, Christopher Turner and Reed Turner. Danny is loved and missed by theextended Silva family in Georgia and Massachusetts. Buddy, the Turner family dog, is inconsolable at his loss. As is customary, the bees will be told of Danny's passing.

Services for Danny Turner (Honest Dan) will be held on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. at Allison's Memorial in St. Mary's. A reception/celebration of Danny's remarkable life will follow at the Riverview Hotel / Seagles Saloon in downtown St. Mary's, GA. at 5:30 p.m.

Instead of flowers, donations may be made in Danny's name to Greater Good Charities (Southern Region Focus) in support of emergency aid to beekeeper programs during natural disasters and crisis situations.