David H. "Turp" Turpin, 91, a resident of Pensacola, passed away on Tuesday, July 29, 2014. Turp was born in Bedford, VA in 1922. He enlisted in the National Guard in Bedford in December of 1940, the 29th Infantry Division Band. He played the tuba. He sailed to Europe in 1942 on the RMS Queen Mary, and was on board when the Queen Mary accidentally sank one of her escort ships, the HMS Curacoa off the Irish coast. Turp said the troops on board didn't find out until they landed in England. He served proudly in Normandy and the Rhineland. He was honorably discharged in July, 1945. He attended Duke University on the G.I. bill, earning a degree in Forestry. He worked for the Champion/St. Regis paper mill in Pensacola. He was an avid bird watcher. He could name just about any bird by sight or song, and any tree or plant or flower in the forest. Turp loved to read, especially biographies and history books, liked a good joke and funny story. He was a good decent man who treated everyone fairly. We will love and miss him always. Turp was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lucius Turpin of Pensacola; his father, Edwin C. Turpin and mother, Sallie Pendleton Turpin of Bedford, VA; a sister, Julia Turpin McLaughlin of Maylene, AL and a brother, Edwin "Buddy" Turpin of Bedford, VA. He is survived by his daughter, Emily Ray (Kenny) of Ft. Walton Beach, FL; grandson, Christopher Ray of Ft. Walton Beach, FL; a granddaughter, Samantha Ray of Ft. Walton Beach and a niece, Holly Raybon of Maylene, AL. Services will be at Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola NAS. The family wishes to give special Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Vaughn, neighbors and friends for 47 years.