Greetings!... and welcome to my Web site!

I’ve set up this site for one purpose…
to find a man named Larry Turner… my father.

On this Web site you will find a brief history about me, a few facts that I know about my father, steps that I have already taken to find him and my motives for doing so. Please keep reading! You may have the information I need to find him! If you know a man named Larry Turner who’s history matches what I have outlined here,
BY ALL MEANS, PLEASE CONTACT ME!

A Little About Me —

Let’s see… Where do I start? I suppose the beginning is as good a place to start as any. I was born Michael (Mike) Thurman in January 1970 and grew up in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

My mother’s name was Margret (Marge) Thurman. She was introduced to my father by my much older cousin, Donna. Donna worked as a receptionist at a business called Flasco in Aberdeen. It was a company that customized farm truck equipment with grain boxes and grain augers. Larry was a sales representative from Minnesota who supplied parts for those trucks. Even though he was married with two daughters, he asked Donna if she would join him for dinner while he was in town. Donna thought he was too old for her - over 10 years - so she introduced him to my mother who was in her late 20s and divorced with a young daughter.

Larry and my mother hit it off. He took my mother out every time his work brought him to town. Their love affair lasted about a year despite the fact he was married with children. I asked Mom why she would continue an affair like that and she explained that Larry had said his marriage was bad and failing; that he wanted out of it and that he planned on leaving his wife for her. He also told her that things were complicated and it would take awhile.

In the spring of 1969, my mother told Larry she was pregnant and asked him what he planned on doing regarding him ending his marriage and being with her instead. Mom said his response was “Why change horses in mid-stream?” After that day, he no longer stopped by when he was in town. The next time my mother spoke to him was shortly after I was born. She called him at work and told him he had a son, but he said he was busy and couldn’t talk. According to my mother, that was the last time she spoke with him.

Sooo… I was raised in Aberdeen by my mother, my sister and my grandparents. I had no biological ties to the last name Thurman. So, when I was 21, I changed my last name. I picked a new name that has particular meaning to me.

Mom was diagnosed with cancer in September 1991, and she died in December 1993. Knowing my time with her was limited, I asked her everything I could think of about my father. Unfortunately, she couldn’t remember any vital details, such as his birthday… or middle name… not even his middle initial… or the town where he lived in Minnesota… any one of the details would have been immensely helpful. This is why I have started this Web site. I’ve exhausted every avenue I can think of to try to find him. I want to make it clear that I do not have any malicious intentions… read more in the My Motives Section.

Facts About Larry Turner —

• He was born between 1930 and 1939
• He lived in Southern Minnesota in 1968 and 1969… he might still live there
• He traveled regularly to North-Eastern South Dakota for his job… specifically Aberdeen
• He was a sales representative or a delivery man that supplied some kind of parts used on trucks at a company called Flasco in Aberdeen that built grain trucks… He may or may not have been involved with a company named ValVac
• He was married during the time frame of 1968 and 1969… he might still be married
• He has at least TWO daughters born in the 1960s… they would be in their mid-40s now
• He should be in his 70’s
• I’m told that I inherited a genetic trait from him, so his eyebrows might turn or swoop upwards at the outside edges

Steps I’ve Taken To Find Larry Turner —

I’m including this section to help prevent any well meaning people from suggesting that I look into doing something that I’ve already done.

In 1994 I traveled throughout Minnesota, including Minneapolis and St. Paul to search for all the records I could find on all the Larry Turners with birthdays between 1930 and 1940. I went to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a list of how many there were. You would be surprised how many Larry Turners there actually are in that age group. Unfortunately, it was hard to narrow it down without an exact birthday. It would also be helpful if I just knew the exact year he was born or even his middle initial. But I don’t. Below are the offices that I went to collect any information I could on all the Larry Turners that I found.

• Dept of Motor Vehicles – to retrieve information on all the Larry Turners born in the right time frame.

• Dept of Health/Section of Vital Statistics – to retrieve birth certificates where Larry Turner was listed as the father of a daughter or two born in the 1960’s.
• City & county records – searching for any information that may have been given while registering a vehicle for new license plates/boat licenses/motorcycles/etc…
• Police agencies - to check into felony records that may have his name in them.
• Many other offices – to inquire about any other public records regarding anything relevant to Larry Turner

I took all the information I gathered and tried to figure out which one of these Larry Turner’s past history meshed up with what I know about him. It wasn’t that easy… one of them matched well in respect to one thing, but did not fit in another respect… and so on, and so on.

One thing I wanted to do back then in 1994, but failed, was to get a good photo of each of these men and show them to my cousin. She’s the only person still alive that could identify him. But trying to be inconspicuous with a big camera up to my face while hanging out the window of my truck in the middle of a strange neighborhood didn’t exactly endear me to them! I had the cops called on me a couple times during these attempts, so I tried to keep a very low profile from then on. Does anyone out there in cyber-world know how I can go about getting some photos of these guys? Because I have learned that MN has now put a stop to sharing Drivers License photos with the public. Anybody have any ideas???

My Motives —

My motives are simple. I just want to find and meet my father, Larry Turner, before it’s too late.

I’ve done everything I can to find him with the information I have. I know my chances of doing so diminish with each year that passes by. Until now I have conducted my search discretely. I wanted to find him first and contact him without the distraction and the drama my existence would cause in his family. I had hoped to meet my sisters and get to know them as well (incognito of course), but I realize that it may not be possible now.

I do not seek monetary gain. Nor do I expect acceptance or to be able to build a relationship with him and my sisters, though I desire it very much. If I do find him, at the very least, I will expect to learn my family tree and family history and any pertinent family medical history

My thoughts and feelings on the topic of meeting my father and sisters are private and I do not intend on sharing anything more about it here. However, I will say that I am prepared for whatever happens… the good, the bad, the joy and the pain.

Contact Me —

If anyone reading this knows a man by the name Larry Turner in his 70’s and his history matches what I have outlined here – PLEASE, BY ALL MEANS, CONTACT ME!

Of course I will be happy to hear from anyone that has any information or suggestions on where to look for more information… But keep in mind that the facts I have shared are the only facts that I have, so if your suggestion requires more information about him than what I have provided here, please refrain from offering them.

*NOTE* - If anyone has any information how I can get copies of Minnesota Drivers License pictures for any of these men,… PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I WOULD BE SOOO GRATEFUL! Just contact me below. There might even be a reward!

I can be reached at…

Email: Looking4LarryTurner@Yahoo.com

Or Postal Mail:

re: Larry Turner
P.O.Box 20876
Cheyenne, WY 82003

Updates —

I will use this section periodically for any updates in my progress and of course for any shout-outs to any strangers or friends out there willing to help me out.

Take care of yourselves and each other!

Sincerely, Mike