Mary Jane Turpen

Mary Jane Turpen, 77, long time Box Elder resident, died Saturday April 29, 2006 at Beverly Health Care Center.

   Mary Jane was born December 3, 1928 to Jack and Marie (Darmer) Sparrow in Murdo, SD.  The family moved to Rapid City and Mary Jane graduated from Rapid City High School in 1946.

   She married Roy F. Fitzer Dec. 23, 1947 and moved to Box Elder.  They had 3 children, Timothy; Toby and Mary Jo.  Roy died in 1960 as the result of an auto accident.  Mary Jane married Theodore Turpen Oct. 3, 1962 and they had 2 children, Fred and Ruth.  Theodore preceded her in death in 1969.

   Mary Jane went to work for the Civil Service, at the Commissary at EAFB, in 1985 and retired in the early 1990’s.  She moved to Jackson Heights High rise where she lived for a couple of years before moving to the Beverly Health Care Center.

   She was a longtime member of the Calvary Lutheran Church.  She was a loving mother and devoted housewife.

  She is survived by 3 sons, Timothy and wife Julie Fitzer, Sundance, WY; Toby Fitzer, Rapid City; Fred Turpen, Wright, WY; 2 daughters, Mary Jo Stangle, Rapid City; Ruth and husband Ronald Bedford, Huntsville, AL; grandchildren; great grandchildren and 3 sisters, Evelyn Flanagan, Rapid City; Doris and husband Bud Fischer, Rapid City and Irene and husband Ralph Stubblefield, Jacksonville, IL.  She was preceded in death by 2 husbands; 1 brother James L. Sparrow and her parents.