Lannie LaVelle Turner was born December 20, 1963 in Dallas, Texas to the late James Madison Turner and Loretta Woodkins Turner. She was their only child.

Lannie was educated in the Dallas Independent School District; Boude Storey Middle School gave Lannie her first taste of drama. She graduated from Booker T. Washington Arts Magnet High School in 1982 where she continued her love of acting and as a play writer. Lannie received her B.S. Degree from Wiley College. In 2005, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite this setback, she still continued to pursue her education by earning an Academic Language Therapist Certification in Dallas, Texas and was working on her Master's Degree in Education at Mississippi College.

Lannie's love for teaching guided and inspired her students to strive for academic excellence. She matriculated at Fellowship Christian Academy and Focus Charter School.

At an early age, Lannie accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior in Marshall, Texas. She was a member of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, participating in the Adult Drama Ministry and a Single's Small Group. Other accomplishments included membership in God's Leading Ladies and she was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Lannie is survived by son, Timothy Turner-Parish; mother, Loretta Turner; uncle, Clyde Woodkins, Sr.; aunts, Shirley Woodkins Pleasant, Cassandra Woodkins, Willia R. Woodkins and a host of other relatives and friends.

The homegoing celebration will commence on Monday, August 20, 2012 11:00am at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, 1808 W. Camp Wisdom Road, Dallas, Texas