Isabel Rubio Turner's Obituary
Isabel Rubio Turner — known to many as Chavela, Nana, or Tía — passed peacefully from this life on September 21, 2025.
Born in Colton, California, to José and Ysabel Rubio, Isabel grew up in San Diego amid a wide circle of cousins and siblings, as well as the flowers she cherished all her days. On January 3, 1958, she married Johnny James Turner. Together they built a life and a family rooted in faith, love, and resilience.
Her devotion to her children and extended family was matched by her lifelong commitment to ministry and education. Over the years she completed her undergraduate degree, taught Spanish at Ouachita Christian School, organized programs alongside her husband, taught Scripture across the globe, and eventually served as Dean of Women at the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver, Colorado. Those who knew her will remember her not only for her teaching, but also for her legendary hospitality, her cooking, her deep faith, and her gift for painting beauty onto canvas.
Family was the heartbeat of her life. As matriarch of the Turner and Rubio families, she was the steady presence who drew people to her table, wove stories that bound generations together, and offered encouragement in ways both quiet and profound.
Isabel is survived by her husband of 67 years, Dr. J.J. Turner; her children, Sandra Morales and John Alan Turner; her grandchildren, Anabel Turner, Eliza Turner, Gabriel Morales, and Amelia Turner; her brother, Daniel Rubio; and her sister, Alma Torres. She was preceded in death by her parents, José and Ysabel Rubio, and her brothers, Paul, Raymond, and José Jr.
A service of remembrance will be held Thursday, October 23, at 10am in the Garden Chapel at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary in San Diego, CA.
We give thanks for her life, even as we grieve her passing. Her faith, her love, and her example remain with us, shaping us still and for generations to come.
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