Robert Turpin was born to Rev. Robert Turpin Sr. and Annie Fisher Turpin on November 17, 1921 in Birmingham Alabama. His father moved the family to pastor a church in Leroy, New York where Robert Jr. grew up. Eventually his father moved to Flint, Michigan in 1939 to pastor a church there. That same year, Robert Jr. went to Oberlin College to study Pre-medicine. While in college, he was a member of the football team and played both offensive and defensive end. He was also a member of the track team, running the quarter mile and the mile relay. He next attended Meharry Dental College in Nashville, Tennessee where he earned his DDS degree. He was elected to Omicron Kappa Upsilon, a dental honor society for academic excellence. He also sang in the Fisk choir and the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Through his activities at Fisk, he met and later married Betty Grayson, a popular Fisk student. In 1956, the family lived for two years outside of Paris, France where he served in the U.S. Army Dental Corp obtaining the rank of Major. They had been married only 24 years when Betty died suddenly at the young age of forty nine, leaving him with four children, three still in college and one in 5th grade. Several years later, friends in Lansing introduced him to Elizabeth Canady. The two of them immediately found that they enjoyed each other's company. She brought him comfort, affirmation, healing and joy. They soon found true love, a love that has sustained them both for several decades. They travelled together to almost every place in the world that they wished to see, these trips added excitement to an already exciting marriage. Dr. Turpin retired from dental practice in 1985. Dr. Turpin was a member of many boards in Pontiac and Oakland County, serving as chairman of some of them, namely: The Pontiac Economic Development Corporation, The Michigan Children's Aid Society, and the Urban League. He was elected to the Pontiac Board of Education and served as its vice-president. Dr. Turpin was also a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, the Alpha Chi Boule professional men's society, and one of the four founders of Black Men Inc. of Greater Lansing. He is a Golden Heritage member of the NAACP. He received service awards from the Pontiac United Way, the Oakland County NAACP, the Urban League and the Pontiac Heritage Society. He has been Omega Man of the Year. Dr. Turpin loved music and played the piano intermittently throughout his lifetime, mostly by ear. He also had a full sized organ which he brought with him to Lansing and donated to the Union Baptist Church and replaced it with a professional jazz keyboard. During his later years, he experienced considerable visual and hearing loss but sought to live a nearly normal life. Marvelous technological devices that read aloud from the printed page enabled him to read books and other printed materials. He subscribed to magazines on tape and made daily use of a talking computer. He was a spiritual person and thoroughly enjoyed Sunday school as long as he was able. He supplemented his reading of the lessons by studying the more detailed expositions in various Bible commentaries. His philosophy of life in his later years was very simple, based on Scripture: Love God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and all of your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. R. Turpin is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, son, Dr. Bruce Turpin (Caroll), Daughters. Beth Turpin Adkins (John), Barbara Turpin Howze (Abdullah), Bahni Turpin (Pagan), two nieces, Ann Turpin Williams and Leeta Grayson and one nephew, Joseph" Randy" Grayson . He also leaves nine grandchildren, four great grandchildren and a multitude of friends. Memorial services for Mr. Turpin will be held Tuesday, September 1, 1pm at the Trinity AME Church,3500 West Holmes Road, Lansing, MI 48911. The family will receive visitors one hour before services begin. Memories and condolences can be shared at rileyfuneralhome.com.