A. Keith Turner

TURNER

Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 6/6/2022 at 09:42:29

A. Keith Turner, 80, Emeritus Professor of Geological Engineering, has passed away. Keith was born to Alan and Catherine Turner in Scotland, raised in Scotland, England, and Canada, and received degrees from Queen’s University, Columbia, and Purdue. While earning his PhD from Purdue, he met his wife, Sandy. Keith and Sandy moved to Ontario, where Keith worked for the Department of Public Works and the University of Toronto. Keith and Sandy moved to Colorado to raise a family and Keith became a professor at the Colorado School of Mines.

Keith made important contributions in the application of computer and spatial information technologies to geological and environmental issues, including publishing textbooks on Landslides, Rockfalls, and 3D Modelling. His experience in 3D geological modeling included more than 20 years of collaborations with various North American and European Geological Surveys on the subjects of spatial data management, visualization, and analysis. In addition to his 38-year career with the Colorado School of Mines, Keith also served as a Visiting Research Associate to the British Geological Survey, held a dual appointment between the Colorado School of Mines and Delft Technical University in The Netherlands, and most recently was the Director of 3D Modelling for Earth Knowledge.

Of his professional accomplishments, Keith felt his greatest achievement was facilitating collaboration among researchers from around the planet. He also emphasized the need to clearly communicate research to the public, so communities could make better informed decisions. Despite his career, Keith was most proud of his family. He was a devoted husband and father. He always took more pride in his children’s accomplishments than his own. Keith and Sandy had a love for travel, which they imparted to their three children during countless family trips around North America and Europe. Among Keith and Sandy’s favorite destinations were Lugano, Switzerland and Death Valley National Park.

Keith is survived by his three adult children: Cameron (wife Elizabeth), Melissa, and Bryan. Keith is also survived by his younger brother Colin who said Keith was “The best brother that anyone could ask for”, Colin’s wife Donna, and their daughter Jennifer. Keith’s wife, Sandy, passed away from ALS in 2014.

Per Keith’s wishes, cremation has been accorded and a memorial service will be held at a later date in Colorado, where he will be placed by his loving wife, Sandy.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of A. Keith, please visit our floral store.

Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
 

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