ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball has ordered the Howard County Flag to be lowered to half-staff, from sunrise, Sunday, March 16, 2025, until sundown Monday March 17, 2025, in memory and honor of Delegate Frank Turner Sr.
We were all deeply saddened to hear of Delegate Turner passing. His legacy of advocacy and service has left an indelible imprint on our county and our state, and we are a better community because of his efforts. He truly lived a life dedicated to giving back to our community. Thank you, Delegate Turner, for your life of service that has made our world a better place.
Delegate Turner, who represented Howard County in the legislature for 24 years and was a business professor at Morgan State University for 41 years, died February 14th in Columbia at 77. In 1994, Turner was the first African American elected to the General Assembly from Howard County. Since his retirement he has served as a trustee at Howard Community College. Turner has had a hand in getting state funding for numerous county projects, especially the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center, the former segregated high school that now has a room named in Turner’s honor.
Born in Mt. Pleasant, New York, he graduated from North Carolina College at Durham and earned his law degree from North Carolina Central University of law in 1973. Throughout his lifetime he earned awards from the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, the Maryland Association of Community Services, the Howard County Democratic Central Committee, the National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as well the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus. He leaves behind his wife, Kim, four children, and grandchildren.
The Homegoing Celebration will be held Sunday, March 16th at 10:00 a.m. at the Horowitz Center Smith Theatre located on the campus of Howard Community College. Guest parking is available in the West Garage directly across from the Horowitz Center. For directions to the garage, please use the following address for GPS: 5070 Campus Drive, Columbia, MD 21044.