Mike Wayne Turnipseed, 90, Chief Warrant Office Retired US Navy, a resident of Columbus, Mississippi, since 1971 died Monday, July 27,2009 after a long illness with Alzheimers disease. Mike was born in Choctaw County, Mississippi on July 31, 1918. He was the son of John Michael Turnipseed and Henrietta Black. He joined the Navy on November 16, 1937 and his first assignment was as a member of the original crew of the aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise. Mike was aboard the Enterprise when it sailed into Pearl Harbor immediately following the attack by Japan. He served on the Enterprise through 17 battles and the remainder of World War II. Among his many medals and citations, he received the Presidential Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Services Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (17 stars), Philippine Liberation Medal (2 stars), WWII Victory Medal, Naval Occupation Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal (1 star). After 30 years, on March 31, 1968, Mike retired from the Navy as a Chief Warrant Officer. He and his wife Thelma moved to Columbus, Mississippi where they built a home on a small farm in the New Hope community. Mike spent many happy years there gardening and growing the corn, apples and pecans which he lovingly shared with family and friends. Mike was a member of the USS Enterprise Association, the Retired Military Officers Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Wesley Methodist Church. Mike is survived by his wife of 64 years, Thelma Hunt Turnipseed, who resides in Columbus, Mississippi, his daughter Ann Turnipseed Smith of Decatur, Georgia, his grandson Nicholas Andrew Bermudez of Miami. Florida, and his sister, Lottie Mae Turnipseed Hunt of Millport, Alabama. Visitation will be Wednesday, July 29, 2009 from 5 to 7 pm and on Thursday, July 30, 2009 from 12 to 1pm at Gunter & Peel Funeral Home of Columbus, Mississippi. Funeral services will be held Thursday 1 pm at Gunter & Peel Funeral Home, and at 3:30 pm he will be laid to rest at Salem United Methodist Church in Choctaw County, Mississippi. Pallbearers will be his nephews and the honorary pallbearers his Sunday School class. The family would like to thank the medical and nursing staff at the Veterans Home of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi and the North Mississippi Hospice for their excellent care of Mike. Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimers Association, North Mississippi Hospice, 104 Skyline Drive, Oxford, Mississippi 38655, Wesley United Methodist Church, and Salem United Methodist Church c/o Wilma Black, 4500 McCool-Highpoint Road, McCool, Mississippi 30108
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