Richard C. Turner

Richard C. Turner
United States Attorney for the
Southern District of Iowa
In office
March 5, 1982 – September 28, 1986
PresidentRonald Reagan
Preceded byKermit B. Anderson
Succeeded byChristopher D. Hagen
29th Attorney General of Iowa
In office
January 1967 – January 12, 1979
GovernorHarold Hughes
Robert D. Fulton
Robert D. Ray
Preceded byLawrence F. Scalise
Succeeded byTom Miller
Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 19th district
In office
January 9, 1961 – January 11, 1965
Preceded byJim O. Henry
Succeeded byHoward Tabor
Assistant County Attorney for
Pottawattamie County
In office
March 11, 1954 – June 15, 1956
Avoca Town Clerk
In office
1953–1960
Personal details
BornRichard Clark Turner
(1927-09-30)September 30, 1927
Avoca, Iowa, U.S.
DiedSeptember 28, 1986(1986-09-28) (aged 58)
West Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
PartyRepublican
Spouse
Charlotte Forsen
​
(m. 1957)​
Children3
EducationUniversity of Iowa (BA) (JD)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1945–1947
UnitArmy Air Forces

Richard Clark Turner (September 30, 1927 – September 28, 1986) was the Iowa Attorney General from 1968 to 1979.[1]

Early life

Turner was born in Avoca, Iowa to Joe W. and Betty Turner.[2] His father served as Mayor of Avoca from 1938 to 1950 and from 1952 to 1956.[3]

He graduated from Avoca High School in 1945.[2] He then served in the United States Army Air Forces from 1945 to 1947.[2] In 1950, he graduated from University of Iowa and then received his Juris Doctor degree from University of Iowa College of Law in February 1953.[1][2] He joined Turner and Turner law firm in Avoca, with his father to practice law.[4] This is the law firm which was founded by his grandfather Francis Albert Turner.[4]

Political career

Early career

He served as Assistant County Attorney for Pottawattamie County from March 11, 1954[5] until June 15, 1956.[6]

He served as town clerk for Avoca from 1953 to 1960.[1][2] He then practiced law in Council Bluffs, Iowa.[2]

Iowa State Senate

From 1961 to 1965, Turner served in the Iowa State Senate and was a Republican.[1][2] He took his seat on January 9, 1961.

In 1960, he beat Gilbert E. Klefstad, with Turner winning 17,913 votes compared to Klefstad's 14,031 votes.[7]

In 1964, he lost to Gilbert E. Klefstad, with Turner winning 14,625 votes compared to Klefstad's 16,093 votes.[8]

He left the Senate on January 11, 1965.

Iowa Attorney General

Turner then served as Iowa Attorney General from 1967 to 1979.

In 1966, Turner ran for Attorney General of Iowa.[9] On September 6, 1966, he ran in the primary election against Virgil Moore and Joseph G. Bertroche.[9] He won with 72,591 votes compared to Moore's 37,712 votes and Bertroche's 37,699 votes.[9] In the November general election, he ran against incumbent Democrat Lawrence F. Scalise and National Prohibition candidate George A. Murray.[10] Turner won with 428,209 votes compared to Scalise's 417,317 votes and Murray's 3,392 votes.[10]

In 1970, he ran against Democrat Ray Walton and won with 405,474 votes compared to Walton's 341,451 votes.[11]

In 1972, he ran against Democrat James B. Reynolds and won with 623,007 votes compared to 522,324 votes.[12]

In 1974, he ran against Democrat Tom Miller and won with 439,643 votes compared to Miller's 405,792 votes.[13]

In 1978, he ran against Democrat Tom Miller and Socialist Steve Wilson, and lost with 351,251 votes compared to Miller's 442,895 votes and Wilson's 2,519 votes.[14]

United States Attorney

Turner then returned to practice law.

On June 11, 1981, Turner was nominated by a group of Iowa congressmen to be the US Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa.[15] On November 11, 1981, his appointment was sent to the US Senate for confirmation.[16] On December 17, 1981, his nomination was confirmed by the Senate.[17] On March 5, 1982, he was sworn in.[18] He served until September 28, 1986, when he died in office.

Personal life

He married Charlotte Forsen on November 30, 1957 in Council Bluffs at the St John's Lutheran Church.[19] They had two sons and daughter.[2] They attended Presbyterian Church.[2]

He had his first heart attack in 1973 and in 1983 he was given five bypasses to help his heart.[20]

Turner woke up and collapsed at home around 3 am and by 4 am was pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa.[1] He died of a heart attack 2 days before his 59th birthday.[1] Charlotte died on February 25, 2023 in Urbandale, Iowa, aged 94.[21]

The house where he was raised in Avoca is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Francis A. and Rose M. Turner House. Francis and Rose were his paternal grandparents.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Richard Turner dies at home". The Sioux City Journal. September 29, 1986. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Richard C. Turner". Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  3. ^ "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Richard Turner Joins Avoca Firm". The Daily Nonpareil. March 1, 1953. p. 6. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  5. ^ "Name Avocan As Deputy Attorney". The Daily Nonpareil. March 11, 1954. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  6. ^ "People in News". The Daily Nonpareil. June 3, 1956. p. 18. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  7. ^ "1960 General Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. November 8, 1960. p. 6. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  8. ^ "1964 General Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. November 3, 1964. p. 8. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  9. ^ a b c "1966 Primary Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. September 8, 1966. p. 9. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  10. ^ a b "1966 General Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. November 8, 1966. p. 6. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  11. ^ "1970 General Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. November 3, 1970. p. 3. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  12. ^ "1970 General Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. November 7, 1972. p. 8. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  13. ^ "1974 General Election". The Sioux City Journal. November 7, 1974. p. 8. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  14. ^ "1978 General Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. November 7, 1978. p. 6. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  15. ^ "Iowans nominate Richard Turner for U.S. Attorney". The Gazette. June 11, 1981. p. 13. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  16. ^ "Turner nomination heads for the Senate". The Gazette. November 11, 1981. p. 2. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  17. ^ "Senate confirms Turner as U.S. Attorney". Quad-City Times. December 17, 1981. p. 3. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  18. ^ "Richard Turner sworn in as U.S. Attorney". Des Moines Tribune. March 5, 1982. p. 26. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  19. ^ "Attorney's Bride". The Daily Nonpareil. December 2, 1957. p. 5. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  20. ^ "History of Heart troubles" (PDF). The Des Moines Register. September 29, 1986. p. 5. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  21. ^ "Charlotte Turner Laird". The Des Moines Register. March 5, 2023. p. C11. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
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