Betty Noble Turner, Corpus Christi’s first female mayor, died Friday, Jan. 26.
She was 92.
Turner, granddaughter of the founder of Barnes & Noble, was born in May 1931 in Yonkers, New York.
She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Vassar College and got her master’s from Texas A&I. She also attended University of Texas in Austin, where she met her husband Jack Rice Turner.
Turner held a real estate license for more than 40 years and served as a broker/owner of her own company in Corpus Christi and Port Aransas.
She served on more than 40 Corpus Christi public service agencies and nonprofits including LULAC, Arts Council, Art Museum Board of Directors, YMCA Board, USO Board and United Way Board.
In 1979, Turner ran for a seat on the council and won. She served on the council through 1985, then in February 1987 announced her intention to run for mayor.
The race was crowded after popular Mayor Luther Jones announced his decision not to run for re-election. She faced off against four opponents — Mayor Pro Tem Jack Best, district councilman Joe McComb, Corpus Christi attorney Tony Bonilla and six-time mayoral candidate Vicente Carranza.