Woldingham television assistant dies aged 84
A TELEVISION production assistant who was well-known for her "fabulous house parties" has died. She was 84.
Geraldine Turner, from Woldingham, who worked with some of the most famous directors in TV, spent Christmas with her son and his family at their home in Park Road, Oxted, and died from lung cancer last Tuesday.
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Geraldine Turner
Mrs Turner, who was born in Liverpool in 1927, travelled alone to London aged 21, where she became a secretary for the BBC.
It was there that she met her future husband, Graham Turner, who was a cameraman at the time.
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The pair moved over to ITV when it launched in 1955, with Graham taking the channel's first ever shot and Geraldine working as production assistant.
Mrs Turner, who was also a soprano opera singer, became drama production assistant for the famous female director, Joan Kemp Welsh.
They worked closely together on the pop music programme Cool For Cats and Mrs Turner also worked on Ready Steady Go!
Her son Martin, 53, who also works in television as an executive producer for Sky Sports, said: "She loved music and actually worked with me as PA on a Bon Jovi documentary in 1989.
"She liked contemporary music, although I wouldn't say Bon Jovi rocked her socks off.
"Mum worked well into her 70s. Her role as PA was a pivotal one. She was the glue to live production."
The Turners moved to Surrey in their 30s, living in Hillbury Road, Warlingham and Lunghurst Road, Woldingham.
A written tribute from Maggi Minchin, a colleague of the Turners, which was given to their son, said: "Geraldine was an excellent cook, and Graham and Geraldine used to hold house parties and fabulous dinners at their home called 'Turner Towers' at Duke's Edge in Warlingham – a large period house with peacocks roaming around the garden."
After her husband's death in the early 1980s, Geraldine returned to London and continued to work in TV.
"She was so independent and loved to travel and even into her 70s she would go to Egypt on her own and the first thing she would do is hire a bicycle," said Martin.
"She had a lot of friends and was always going to the opera. My dad used to say she knew every lead role in every opera ever made."
Mrs Turner moved to Oxted shortly after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
Her funeral took place on Wednesday at All Saints' Church, Chichele Road, Oxted.
Mrs Turner leaves her son, daughter-in-law Mandi, and grandsons Freddie, 20, and Josh, 22.
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