Billie Lee Turner, 95, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Integrative Biology at The University of Texas at Austin, passed away May 27, 2020. He held the Sidney F. and Doris Blake Centennial Professorship in Systematic Botany until his retirement in 2000. At UT he chaired the Department of Botany (1967-74) as well as the Division of Biological Sciences (1972-73). His degrees were BS Biology, Sul Ross State University (1949); MS Biology, Southern Methodist University (1950); and Ph.D. Botany, Washington State University (1953). Billie began his academic career as an instructor at The University of Texas at Austin in 1953. He rose to associate professor in fall of 1959, and two years later was promoted to full professor.

Billie is survived by two sons from his first wife Virginia Ruth Mathis. One son, Dr. Billie L. Turner II, is an ASU Regents Professor and Gilbert F. White Professor of Environment and Society, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; and Matt Warnock Turner, Ph.D., of Austin, writer, market researcher, and instructor in UT's Liberal Arts Honors Program. He is also survived by two adopted sons who are children of his third wife Gayle Langford. Billie is also survived by a granddaughter, great-granddaughter and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Billie’s life will be arranged at a later date. Donations in Billie's memory can be made to the herbarium that was his life's work and to which he bequeathed a large part of his estate: Billie L. Turner Plant Resources Center, c/o University Development Office, The University of Texas at Austin, P.O. Box 7458, Austin, TX 78713-7458, or simply use the link: txsci.net/billieturner (Source: Arizona Republic)