Jerry Turner (anchorman)

Jerry Turner (August 6, 1929 – December 31, 1987) was an American television news anchorman at WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Maryland. He was from Meridian, Mississippi and started working at the Baltimore television station in August 1962, starting the 6PM Newscast with Al Sanders in 1977.

Jerry Turner
Born
Jerry Joiner

August 6, 1929
Meridian, Mississippi
DiedDecember 31, 1987(1987-12-31) (aged 58)
Baltimore, Maryland
Occupationanchorman
Notable credit(s)
Co-anchor of WJZ-TV, Eyewitness News
Spouse(s)Jean McIntyre (1952-1987, his death)

Prior to his arrival on Television Hill, WJZ's news was mired in third place in a town that had three major network newscasts. In 1971, WBAL-TV was #1, WMAR-TV was #2; three years later, WJZ with Turner, Sanders, Bob Turk (weather) and Nick Charles (Sports) was a runaway #1 and stayed there through the 70s and into the 80s.

Turner was a co-anchor with Oprah Winfrey when she first moved to Baltimore in 1976.

Illness & Death

A resident of Lutherville, Maryland, Turner was first diagnosed esophageal cancer in December 1986. He underwent a series of radiation and chemotherapy treatments and returned to the air in June 1987. He left the newscast in mid-December 1987 when his health deteriorated and died at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on December 31, 1987, at 7:15 PM. His funeral was held at Towson Presbyterian Church.[1]

Legacy

Each year, the Baltimore Community Foundation awards college scholarships in the name of Jerry Turner for those students who are interested in broadcast journalism. Several memorial discussion programs were broadcast on Channel 13 in the following week examining his legacy and one was repeated several times of a half hour televised review of his life and career.[2]

Preceded by
George Baumann		 WJZ-TV Lead Anchors
1962 – 1987		 Succeeded by
Al Sanders

Notes
  1. "Baltimore TV Reporter Jerry Turner Dies at 58". the Washington Post. 1988-01-01. Archived from the original on 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  2. Lee, Peggy (2008-02-08). "Scholarships Turn College Dreams Into Realities". WJZ-TV. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
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