Ora Mitchell

Lillie Lee, Ora Lee Turner was born July 4, 1932 to Henry Hayes Turner and Lillie Mae Isaac. Ora was the seventh born of eight children. In 1941, Ora moved to Safford with her older brother Henry and her other siblings. Ora attended grade school and some high school, but later attained her GED, she always said that back in the old days, work was more important than school. Ora loved the fact that she was a Fourth of July baby, every year she would have a big birthday at the Graham County Fairgrounds, everyone attended, even people Ora didnt know. Ora held many jobs growing up, but the ones she cherished the most was her job at the old Buena Vista Hotel, Revco Drug Store and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Ora was a full time foster parent, taking in children around the community as well as her own grandchildren. She raised six of her grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Ora was a devoted member of New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ, attending from an early age until her health worsened. She loved to fish, loved to cook and eat fish, her favorite spots were Cluff Ponds and San Carlos Lake. When she was younger, Ora was pretty good at hand fishing too, her and the girls would lay themselves across the river bottom, while the guys chased the fish toward them, the girls would scream and laugh, trying to trap the fish in their dresses or pants. Ora loved watching sports; you could find her and sister Cleo parked behind the high school track field watching football or track, cheering the kids on from their car. Her favorite football team was the Dallas Cowboys, and when they won, the Arizona Cardinals. Her favorite baseball team was the Diamondbacks, she loved Louis Gonzales. She was a big fan of QVC, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and Family Feud. She was addicted to her soap operas, if you visited during one of her soaps, you were virtually ignored until it was over. Boy, Ora could cook, everyone looked forward to Sunday because they knew Aunt Ora was going to cook something good, everyone would accidentally show up on Sunday knowing Aunt Ora had cooked collard greens, chicken, fish, corn bread, black eyed peas, whatever she cooked it was good. She would never admit it, but she loved the company and the praise. Ora was preceded in death by her son, Donnell Nelson; father Henry Hayes Turner and mother, Lillie Mae Turner; four brothers, Alma, Sam, Clarence and Henry; two sisters, Willie Mae and Cleo Bell. She leaves to cherish her memory, her only living and beloved baby sister, Ebbie Hines, of Safford, Arizona; four daughters, Kathy (Smitty) Young of Flagstaff, Barbara (Rella) Aroche of Las Vegas, Patricia (Bony) White of Mesa, and Helen (Baldy) Taulton of Safford; One son Ernest (Goob) Taulton of Phoenix; 16 grandchildren, 44 great-granchildren, 18 great-great granchdildren, a host of nieces and nephews, along with many other relatives and friends. Ora would want all of us to remember her as Gran with so much love in her heart and always a smile on her face, she would always say to us, I LOVE YOU MORE. Aunt Ora we loved you dearly, and will miss you more. A viewing will be conducted on Friday, June 28, 2013 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m at Caldwell Funeral Chapel in Safford, Arizona. Funeral Services will be Saturday, June 29, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at Church at Safford in Safford, Arizona.