Dallas Morning News, The (TX) - Saturday, January 25, 2003

Helen L. Harris Turner wanted an education badly enough to walk six miles each way to her public schools in Central Texas. She not only earned her high school diploma but became a certified public accountant with a doctorate in accounting and management.

She shared her skills by teaching college and mentoring others who wanted their own businesses. She also devoted many years of her career to her church.

Mrs. Turner, 71, died Sunday of complications from cancer at her Dallas home. Her services were Friday in Dallas, and she was buried in Laurel Land Cemetery.

"From the very beginning, she knew what she wanted - she wanted the highest degree possible," said her daughter, Shirley Turner-Lundberg of Mesquite.

Mrs. Turner was president of H&H Business Information Inc., a general business consulting firm specializing in taxes that she founded in 1985 with her late husband, Henry Turner. Mr. Turner died in May 1997.

"She helped open many black businesses here in Dallas," her daughter said.

Born in Oakwood, Texas, she was the ninth of 11 children.

She was a graduate of Phillips Business College in Dallas and Oakwood College, a Seventh-day Adventist Church school in Huntsville, Ala., where she studied secretarial skills.

In 1955, she moved to Dallas and went to work as a secretary with the Southwest Region Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She became secretary to the president of the conference, a position she held for 14 years. She went to night school and became chief accountant and cashier, responsible for all accounting functions of the conference treasury department.

Mrs. Turner continued her studies and earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Southern Methodist University. In 1976, she received a master's degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Dallas, specializing in management, administrative sciences and accounting.

Dallas County selected Mrs. Turner for a land-use and management team. She became a CPA and taught accounting at Bishop College in Dallas, now the site of Paul Quinn College.

In February 1980, Mrs. Turner was named business manager for Oakwood College. In 1982, she was the first black woman elected conference treasurer in the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

She then returned to UT-Dallas and earned her doctorate in accounting and management.

In 1995, Mrs. Turner became an enrolled agent of the Internal Revenue Service, one of the few non-attorneys certified to practice before the IRS, her family said. She could represent clients in tax court.

Her memberships included the Better Business Bureau in Dallas, the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce, the Dallas and Professional Women's Club and the NAACP.

She was on several boards of directors, including The Dallas Post Tribune, where she was the weekly newspaper's accountant for about 10 years, and the Southwestern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Keene, Texas.

In addition to Ms. Turner-Lundberg, Mrs. Turner is survived by another daughter, Renee Turner of Dallas; two brothers, Joseph Harris and J.D. Harris, both of Fort Worth; a sister, Betty Harris Wade; and four grandchildren.

Dallas Morning News, The (TX) - Saturday, January 25, 2003

Helen L. Harris Turner wanted an education badly enough to walk six miles each way to her public schools in Central Texas. She not only earned her high school diploma but became a certified public accountant with a doctorate in accounting and management.

She shared her skills by teaching college and mentoring others who wanted their own businesses. She also devoted many years of her career to her church.

Mrs. Turner, 71, died Sunday of complications from cancer at her Dallas home. Her services were Friday in Dallas, and she was buried in Laurel Land Cemetery.

"From the very beginning, she knew what she wanted - she wanted the highest degree possible," said her daughter, Shirley Turner-Lundberg of Mesquite.

Mrs. Turner was president of H&H Business Information Inc., a general business consulting firm specializing in taxes that she founded in 1985 with her late husband, Henry Turner. Mr. Turner died in May 1997.

"She helped open many black businesses here in Dallas," her daughter said.

Born in Oakwood, Texas, she was the ninth of 11 children.

She was a graduate of Phillips Business College in Dallas and Oakwood College, a Seventh-day Adventist Church school in Huntsville, Ala., where she studied secretarial skills.

In 1955, she moved to Dallas and went to work as a secretary with the Southwest Region Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She became secretary to the president of the conference, a position she held for 14 years. She went to night school and became chief accountant and cashier, responsible for all accounting functions of the conference treasury department.

Mrs. Turner continued her studies and earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Southern Methodist University. In 1976, she received a master's degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Dallas, specializing in management, administrative sciences and accounting.

Dallas County selected Mrs. Turner for a land-use and management team. She became a CPA and taught accounting at Bishop College in Dallas, now the site of Paul Quinn College.

In February 1980, Mrs. Turner was named business manager for Oakwood College. In 1982, she was the first black woman elected conference treasurer in the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

She then returned to UT-Dallas and earned her doctorate in accounting and management.

In 1995, Mrs. Turner became an enrolled agent of the Internal Revenue Service, one of the few non-attorneys certified to practice before the IRS, her family said. She could represent clients in tax court.

Her memberships included the Better Business Bureau in Dallas, the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce, the Dallas and Professional Women's Club and the NAACP.

She was on several boards of directors, including The Dallas Post Tribune, where she was the weekly newspaper's accountant for about 10 years, and the Southwestern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Keene, Texas.

In addition to Ms. Turner-Lundberg, Mrs. Turner is survived by another daughter, Renee Turner of Dallas; two brothers, Joseph Harris and J.D. Harris, both of Fort Worth; a sister, Betty Harris Wade; and four grandchildren.