Birth date: Jan 26, 1937 Death date: Aug 15, 2019
Jimmy Lee (Jim) Turpin, age 82, passed away Thursday August 15, 2019 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He was born January 26, 1937 in Marianna, Arkansas, the son of Carlie Andrew and Sallie Elizabeth (Bates) Turpin. He was preceded in d Read Obituary
Dr. Turpin was the complete package. He was a wonderful Christian man with a great personality and the best professor I had in college. Once my alarm failed me and I arrived in his class on test day near the end of the period. He computed my grade for that semester without that test. Not many professors would have done that. His passing is a great loss to thousands of his students and to this State.
Dr. Turpin was one of the reasons I chose to attend the University of Arkansas and to major in Chemical Engineering. He was my advisor and was the professor of my very first Chemical Engineering class at the U of A. He made the classes and content interesting. What made him special though was not just his knowledge/intellect...he had a true gift for connecting with people and invested time in personally connecting with his students. He had a joy and inner spirit that drew all students towards him, which I am certain came from his strong faith. What an incredible man and what a legacy he has left. He touched so many of us in an impactful way.
Dr. Turpin as he had a huge impact on my life both while I was at the U of A and long afterwards.
Dr Turpin always took a very special interest in his students and had an open door policy which I greatly appreciated. His ability to remember students and names and the interest he had in what they were doing even many years after graduation was astounding. He was the professor I most often looked up whenever I was back on campus. One of the life lessons I remember him teaching in his class was the value of saving money. He recommended that when we get our first job we could go ahead and spend that amount on every day living expenses but whenever we got a raise we should continue to live on the original amount and save the rest. After the second raise then we could expand our spending to equal what the first raise was. By doing this we would always be saving money without feeling any sacrifice. Dr. Turpin was full of practical advice like this and I thought about him often throughout my life and he has been an inspiration to me ever since….he will be greatly missed and I am still in mourning over this loss.
Tom Pierson, BSChE 1979
Dr. Turpin was simply the best. He was the best professor that I had while getting my undergrad degree at UA. He gave the best advice, life-lessons, comments about football, everything. He was always more concerned about others than he was himself. While traveling behind him from Fayetteville to do a presentation in Little Rock, Dr. Turpin was run off of the road and had a pretty serious accident where he ended up in the ditch facing the wrong way and his door was pinned closed by the ground. Stotts Isbell and I ran up to make sure he was OK. He quickly replied that he was fine and that we could probably just go ahead and go to the presentation (as he say there and couldn’t get out of his car). Of course, we didn’t leave, but this is a great example of the type of person that he was. He will forever be missed and can’t be replaced. My prayers go out to the family for peace during this difficult time.
I'm so grateful to have had Dr. Turpin as a professor. An amazing teacher, mentor, and friend. It's sweet to read the comments by former students, many of whom were my classmates. Dr. Turpin was so brilliant but humble. I think of all the times I'd hear him say "well I don't know much, but ..." then he would go on to solve a problem brilliantly with no notes. And of course no one ever forgot his lecture on priorities. We were all so blessed to have him teaching us about life and faith. My prayers go out to Joyce, Tracy, Terry, and their families. He was dearly loved and he will be greatly missed. There aren't many men who have left that kind of impact on so many people!
Dr. Turpin was a very kind and gentle man. He always had wisdom, good advice, and words of encouragement to share. He was one of those people who is a gift in your life and for whom you have nothing but good memories. Thank you for the example you were for us all.
Rick Wise, BSChE 1983
Jim was a great friend and mentor. He was unfailingly supportive and always available to discuss anything from technical to personal; offering carefully considered guidance every time. He was instrumental in my eventual decision to pursue an academic career and a major reason that I returned to UA where we became colleagues. His advice as I began my teaching career was and remains invaluable. He will be sorely missed. Rest in Peace.
Greg Thoma
BS 1976; MS 1985
Thank you to the family of Dr. Turpin for sharing the time, love, and energy of an educator that touched the lives of so many. There are now multiple generations of graduates that are better professionally, personally, and spiritually because of time spent in the classroom or office with him and away from you at home.
It is incredible to see the shared memories and tributes are so similar yet span decades across these messages. For all of us, the academic spark to succeed was lit by Dr. Turpin and his teachings of "learning to learn" still ring true years later. My path from Chem E led to medicine, yet I still use so many of his messages in my work today teaching medical students, residents, and fellows. Dr. Turpin, be proud to know that from a distance a ChemE is still influencing all of these "pre-med" now physicians.
A very sincere "Woo Pig" from a grateful student.
David B. Nelson, MD...BS ChemE '03.
Honoring a man and family that invested much in our lives.
Dr.Turpin was the spark of encouragement that ignited a struggling Thermo 1 student's life long passion.
We are so grateful to be part of Jim's legacy.
All our love to the Turpin Family,
Jean, Patty, Michael, Gina and Krista Leger
BS '81, MS '83
