Margaret Joyce "Schoppe" Turman

Margaret Joyce (Joy) Schoppe Turman of Meadows Place TX has gone home to rest in the arms of Jesus. Joy was born on January 19, 1937 to Lee V. Schoppe and Emily Kocurek Schoppe. Joy died on August 8, 2025 at the age of 88.

She was the eldest of identical twins. Joy grew up in Caldwell, Texas. She was a clarinet player in the high school band along-side her twin sister Mary Jo. The two twins also participated in the choir throughout their school years. Joy and Jo, were known for their participation as twirlers and drum majorettes in the Caldwell Hornet marching band. Joy received awards in UIL for twirling solo and twirling ensemble. She graduated from Caldwell High School in 1955. Over the years she kept in contact with friends from her younger years through writing letters, sending congratulatory/Christmas/birthday cards, her ever so frequent friendly calls always made everyone feel special. Joy also had the opportunity to visit with her classmates at many high school reunions throughout the years.

The Schoppe family business, Lee’s Café, is where Joy worked during her high school years before leaving Caldwell after graduation in 1955 to go to business school Brenham at Blinn College. After graduating college, she went to work for Texas Department of Transportation. She was an excellent Transcriptionist and wrote short hand meticulously. At home she wrote grocery lists, notes to herself, and other memos at home after years of not working. It’s so funny none of the family ever knew what they said!!! Sneaky Christmas and birthday notes!!!

In 1959 she married Billy Gene Turman of Houston. They started their loving marriage in the downtown area, then moved to the Almeda area, just 10 minutes from the Astrodome. They were devoted Catholics at St. Vincents Catholic Church 1 block from their home in Almeda. In 1972 they moved down HWY 288 to the “country” on 5 acres in Fresno TX. From 1958 to 1966 they had 4 children, Gregory Jay, Angela Rene, Adrienne Marie and Patrick Gene. Joy was fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom. She took pride in being home with the children and supporting them and taxiing them to all types of activities from swimming lessons as babies to baseball, football, cheerleading, FFA, track, band, choir, and religious education classes. She kept the family fed with her awesome cooking and baking. Her dessert specialties, which were usually present at EVERY birthday, graduation or anniversary were German chocolate cake, Boston Cream Pie, and her famous chocolate meringue and coconut crème pie.

When Joy and Bill moved to Fresno with their four children they became members of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Manvel, TX. They were active in the church and attended mass every Sunday as a family. They were active in the bazaars, (sometimes Bill was an Auctioneer), delivering meals to the homebound, helping with special events, and were generous contributors to the building of the BBQ pits, the new church back in 1980, and for the building of the parish hall and outdoor pavilion. They were committed to raising their children in the Catholic faith and giving them a loving environment was a priority as they grew to be adults.

A very funny action of Joy’s was when the family would get a treat and go out to dinner at one of their favorite restaurants. No matter whether it was steak, cafeteria food, or the favorite Chinese food, she would always be the last to finish eating. Bill would always say “it’s time to get in the truck, Joy!” or “Joy let’s get outta here before this place burns down”, but still she’d be the last one sitting at the dinner table finished eating and would

always say to Bill “I’m going to finish my tea”. Boy did she ever do that and let not one drop of tea on that ice. Joy did this until her last days living at the Hampton. She was a pistol when it came to her taking her “sweet time” to finish her sweet iced tea.

Joy was an avid bowler for many years after all the children were in school. She boasted many trophies over her time as a bowler. Joy was a die-hard Oiler’s fan, her favorite coach was Bum Phillips, and then she became a loyal Texans fan. She also loved the Houston Astros, the Houston Rockets, U Of H Cougars and the ATM Aggies. Her other joys were watching professional golf, figure skating competitions, and professional gymnastics on the Olympics. Her outside loves were going to the Oiler football games and the HLSR. Over the years attending the rodeo many famous stars were seen on that Astrodome stage including Elvis, Charlie Pride, Sonny and Cher, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Kenny Rogers, June Carter Cash, Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Crystal Gayle, and Conway Twitty,

She loved her 4 grandchildren and attended as many activities as possible. She had the great joy of babysitting her grandchildren and was a ready and willing Grandma any time she was called upon. Matthew, Joel, Zachary and Amanda were such blessings in her life.

Joy loved spending time with her sister Mary Jo Mosser in San Antonio with the kids when they were young. She was godmother to Emanuel the first born of Jo and her husband Leo Mosser. Bill and Joy would write to one another during her trips away from Houston. Phone calls were expensive but the letters were sweet and loving and filled with longing for them to be together again. However, the twins just couldn’t be separated.

Joy and Bill loved to travel when the opportunity presented itself. They cruised a couple of times, flew to Las Vegas, alone and with friends on several occasions, went to Puerto Vallarta for an anniversary, they visited

Epcot Center in Tampa Fl in 1986, when their daughter Adrienne lived in Florida, and countless times vacationing just down the highway at Galveston’s Flagship Hotel.

In 2003 Joy entered into assisted living in Stafford TX, after Bill died in December of 2003, due to her mental illness, and her diagnosis of Dementia, which then led to her death from Alzheimer’s disease. Through the years she has been an exceptional friend and fellow resident to so many people. Her name Joy has exemplified her gift to everyone she has eaten with, sat at Bible study with, attended communion services with, she attended all the birthday parties, seasonal parties, Friday happy hours, ice cream socials, dances, drum circle groups, art therapy, red hat society tea time, rhyme time, sing a longs (she was a VOICE to be reckoned with when there was singing), pet therapy days, local children visits, choir visits and of course BINGO!!!!! It didn’t matter if Joy had just seen you 5 minutes ago, she was going to tell you “HI!” again as if she’d not seen you in years. Whenever a person at the Hampton would say “How are you, Joy?”, she would always say a drawn out “Fine!!” That was her word! Everyone knew that Joy never met a stranger. Joy was a very beautiful lady, so kind and loving and giving in her life. Each and every day, people were special to her and forever in her heart, not just on special occasions. The caretakers in the Hampton were so special to her. Every day may have been a “New Day” with her thinking she was meeting them for the first time. It never bothered any of them because every day they fell in love with her over again.

Joy was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bill, daughter Angela, sisters Geraldine, Gloria, Mary Joy, brother Donald, brothers in laws, Herbert, Edward, Leo, and sister-in-law Lillie Ann, nephews Ronald and Rhett Pivonka. She was a wonderful Aunt to so many nieces and nephews.

Joy is survived by her daughter Adrienne Petter (Randy), sons Patrick (Jackie), Gregory (Audrey), son in law, Ronnie Spell, grandchildren, Matthew Turman (Lacy), Joel Turman (Bailey), Zachary Turman (Nicole), Amanda Turman Bruner (Cannon), stepson Chad Spell, and stepdaughter Ashley Spell Mendoza (husband Edgar), great grandchildren Jake Turman and Hensley Turman, Blayke Elizabeth and Hazel Grace Turman, step grandchildren Brianna and Christopher Mendoza. She is also survived by her sister Barbara Shenkir and brother-in-law Isadore, sister-in-law Barbara Turman Maza and brother-in-law Orlando, sister-in-law Mary Lou Turman, and beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

Joy will forever be in our hearts and remembered with a smile because of having had her “joy” in our lives.