Celebrating a Legacy In Pemberwick

For the Turner family it truly was an example that “you can come home again.”

On Sunday, the three siblings, children of the late Shirley Turner, returned to the their old stomping grounds where they grew up on Halock Drive in Pemberwick, in an era where kids spent the day in the park playing Whiffleball, tennis, baseball, participated in the summer park program, and even received boxing lessons. In the winter, there were long sledding runs from the adjacent, former Lyon Farm property, through the paths the kids cut through the woods, ending in the park at the corner of Pemberwick Road and Moshier Street.

“We had the best time growing up here,” said Mike Turner, who with his twin brother, U.S. Navy Capt. Mark Turner, and their older sister Cheryl Gibson, returned to Greenwich for the rededication of the Shirley Turner sycamore tree in the park. The rededication was focus of the 8th annual Pemberwick-Glenville Community Day that drew more than 100 people in the first couple hours.

The celebration paid tribute to the contributions Shirley Turner made to organize and lead what was then the Pemberwick Parents Association. “It really was the forerunner of our organization,” said Vince DiMarco, president of today’s Pemberwick Glenville Association.

Mark Turner, a U.S. Navy man is the director of the Naval Staff College in Newport, RI, said he has traveled the world during his career, but Pemberwick is what he thinks of when it comes to community. (Please see video.) Mark Turner said, “It wasn’t just about you, it was about a community.”

“This is about the families here, the Morettis, the Whalens, the Mandrases, the Puglieses,” said Mark Turner, as waves of the smells of burgers, hot dogs and sausage and peppers were pushed through the air by a gentle breeze. 

“We had 50, 60  kids down here. It was absolutely the best time,” said Mike Turner, who now lives in Wake Forest, NC. He and his older sister Cheryl Gibson traveled from North Carolina to participate in a modern day version of Pemberwick Glenville Community Day. 

“There were a lot of lessons learned in this park, including teamwork,” said Mark Turner.

“We use to have picnics where everyone brought something … it was just good fun,” said Cheryl.

“If any kid would have half the time we had, they are blessed,” Cheryl said.

Following the dedication that was in part orchestrated by former Greenwich Parks Supervisor Peter Mandras, Cheryl Gibson said, “You can’t thank the community enough for us.”

Mission accomplished!