Joseph O. Turpin

Joseph (Joe) Ovila Turpin, 82, passed away peacefully on August 19, 2025, in Redlands, California, with his beloved wife, Hester, at his side.

Joe was born on July 11, 1943, in Rockford, Illinois, and grew up in Tunker, Indiana. He attended school in Columbia City before beginning his academic journey at Indiana University in 1961. There, he earned a B.A. in Sociology, an M.S. in Education with a focus on Special Education and Research, and he completed coursework toward a Ph.D. in Special Education. His early professional years were spent in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he served in various special education roles within the Kenosha Unified School District.

In 1968, while studying abroad in Oslo, Norway, Joe met Hester Thompson. They married in 1969 in Evanston, Illinois, and settled in Racine, Wisconsin, where their sons Matthew and Michael were born in 1973 and 1977, respectively. During this time, Joe served as Director of the Racine County Comprehensive Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Board. He later worked as a Vocational Consultant at Theda-Clark Regional Medical Center in Neenah, Wisconsin, before to pursuing a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, which he completed in 1986.

Joe’s career in academia began at Ohio University as an Assistant Professor in the School of Advanced Studies and Educational Leadership. In 1989, he joined the faculty at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) as an Associate Professor. In 1994, he received tenure and became a full Professor. He was instrumental in creating and expanding the Rehabilitation Counseling Program at CSUSB and was honored with the title of Professor Emeritus upon retirement.

Throughout his career, Joe held leadership roles in numerous professional organizations, including President of the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association, Chair of the Coalition for Rehabilitation Counseling, President of the California Rehabilitation Counseling Association, President of the Ohio Rehabilitation Counseling Association, and President of the Wisconsin American Counseling Association. He also contributed to national and international conferences and published extensively on disability, mental health, and counselor education. His work helped shape the field of rehabilitation counseling and inspired generations of students and professionals.

Throughout his distinguished career, Joe was deeply committed to serving students and championing their potential. As he reflected in his retirement letter, “My passion has always been teaching and the challenges that come with working with students whose potential needs to be encouraged. It, I believe, is the greatest privilege a teacher can experience.” Joe considered it an honor “to serve students, fight for them,” and empower them to have “an equal chance at succeeding on their own merits.” He believed that education was a powerful force “helping many students open those doors to opportunity and fulfillment” and devoted his life’s work to making those doors accessible to all, fostering a legacy of encouragement and equity that touched countless lives.

Joe cherished spending time with his family, whether that be his wife, his sons, his grandchildren, his sisters, or his nieces and nephews, and with his friends. He also loved antiques ALMOST as much as his wife, and over time he had developed significant expertise (and enjoyment) in the restoration of antique furniture, gaining obscure skills such as hand-caning seats of wooden chairs or re-wiring an antique lamp. After Hester’s retirement in 2015, they opened a space at Back In Time Antique Mall in Redlands where they sold Victorian and primitive antiques and the two of them enjoyed attending numerous auctions in search of just the right pieces to add to their space for sale (or to add to their ever-expanding personal collection).

In his younger days, Joe enjoyed cycling, and in keeping with his passion for antiques, he even learned how to ride the old-time, high-wheeler bicycles (which he would explain were called “penny-farthings” to anyone who asked).

Joe’s wife, Hester, shared a life of deep love and partnership with him. She remembers him as a steadfast partner in her love of antiques and commented that “he always supported my antique-buying adventures.” In reflecting back on a marriage built on mutual respect, shared passions, and enduring affection, Hester commented with a smile that she and Joe agreed on “MOST things.” When asked what else she wanted to share in remembrance of Joe, Hester simply stated: “I loved him very dearly and will miss him greatly.”

His son, Matthew, was inspired by his father’s commitment to lifelong learning and his skillful listening and guidance. Matthew recalls that “it took a lot of courage to go back to school mid-life and with a family to start a new career path to pursue a new career path - he demonstrated to everyone that you can reinvent yourself and be a lifelong learner.” He also admired his father’s gift for listening and guiding others through thoughtful, nonjudgmental advice: “He was a master at giving advice. Rather than tell someone what he thought they should do, he listened closely to others and helped them think through what they wanted to do and helped them determine the issues they thought were the most important and meaningful.”

For his son Mike, Joe lived his life actively demonstrating his core values: love of family, pursuit of equity, and unwavering integrity. Mike remembers how his father lived these values quietly but powerfully, encouraging others through example rather than words: “He certainly didn’t lecture anyone about any of these things, rather, he lived them.” He also recalls Joe’s gift for listening, how he always had stories about being out in public and some random person would walk up to him and strike up a conversation. Mike also cherished his dad’s sense of humor: “if you were sitting next to him in an event long enough, he would inevitably lean over to you and make some wry comment so that the two of you could share in a little laugh.” He also enjoyed a good, hearty laugh, and the biggest ones for him came when he watched old Pink Panther movies.

Joe’s sister, Marcia Beasley, reflected on her brother’s calm demeanor and principled nature. In one example, she recalled that “one of his finest qualities – not getting angry or losing his temper – became a disqualifying characteristic during Peace Corp Training in Washington, DC in the late 1960s. As he was undergoing assessment to be sent to Brazil, he was asked about last time he was angry. He thought and responded that he could not recall when he had been angry; he had disagreements but had not ever been angry.” The assessor assumed (inaccurately) that this meant he had never actually been in stressful situations before, and that it would therefore be too risky to put him in a position where a stressful or confrontational situation could develop. In truth, Joe was just someone who was always patient, kind, and logical in his disagreements. Marcia described him as someone who made friends easily and was deeply devoted to both his immediate and extended family.

His granddaughter, Kate Turpin, shared sweet memories of Joe downloading episodes of Tom and Jerry on his iPad for her to watch—a special surprise after dinner. She also recalled the humorous contradiction of their Dairy Queen outings: Grandpa loved taking them to get vanilla cones, but absolutely no ice cream was allowed in his car. “That was probably the first time any food had been consumed in that car,” she said, remembering a recent summer visit.

His grandson, Ryan Turpin, fondly remembers the many simple joys he shared with his grandfather. When Ryan was younger, Joe would spend hours sitting on the porch, watching him play basketball, always content just to be present and share in those moments. Ryan recalls receiving his own blazer from Joe, so they could wear them together and match — a gesture that perfectly captured Joe’s thoughtfulness and delight in making special memories. During summers when he was visiting, Ryan accompanied Joe on his morning outings to Panera, where Joe would happily order the exact same thing every time and, without fail, offer to get something for Ryan as well. Finally, Ryan recalled that Grandpa “loved to just sit and talk about life.”

His grandson, Xavier Turpin, shared memories not only of Joe’s love of ice cream, but also of how he liked things “just so.” He recalls being fascinated by Joe’s neatly arranged collection of miniature cars and trinkets in his office and “was hesitant to play with them because I thought he would get mad.” But even though Joe loved keeping his things in precise order, he also couldn’t say no to his grandkids and was happy to let Xavier play with them. Xavier also remembered one summer when he made the mistake of getting Joe a bowl of chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, which he ate happily even though anyone other than one of his grandkids would have been asked to correct the mistake! In these small gestures, Joe’s thoughtful nature and gentle affection shone brightly, creating memories that Xavier cherishes to this day.

Throughout these memories, a tapestry of Joe’s life emerges that is defined above all by his quiet integrity, deep devotion to family, and authentic warmth toward others. Recurring themes include his unwavering support, gentle guidance, and a gift for listening—traits that not only shaped his relationships with those closest to him but also characterized his professional life. Whether offering thoughtful, nonjudgmental advice, demonstrating his values through daily actions, or nurturing curiosity and lifelong learning, Joe embodied the spirit of encouragement, patience, and humility. His love of order, subtle humor, and attention to the needs and happiness of others shine through countless anecdotes, echoing the same commitment and compassion he showed throughout his career. These qualities leave a lasting legacy: one of generosity, wisdom, and a steadfast belief in the potential and worth of every individual he encountered.

Joe is survived by: his wife Hester Turpin; his son Matthew Turpin, his daughter-in-law Sarah (Prehoda) Turpin, and his grandchildren Ryan Turpin and Kate Turpin, all of Washington, D.C; his son Michael Turpin, his daughter-in-law Sara (Tompkins) Turpin and his grandson Xavier Turpin, all of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and his sister Marcia Beasley of Floral City, Florida. He was preceded in death by his parents, D. John Turpin and Mona Belle Turpin, and his sister Marie Hockemeyer, all of Whitley County, Indiana.

Remembrance services will be held in Columbia City, Indiana, on Saturday, October 25, 2025. A graveside service will occur at the Eberhard Cemetery at 10:00am, followed by memorial service from noon-2:00pm at DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Joe’s name to the Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education Fund at the University of Wisconsin Foundation. (To make a gift, use this link - https://secure.supportuw.org/give/ and, in the space below “Find Your Cause”, type in Rehabilitation Psychology, and select the fund titled “Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education Fund – 112901360". Also be sure to check the box stating that the gift is being made in memory of a person, and enter “Joe Turpin”)