Ethel Mae Barkley (Lansing)

Ethel Mae “Turley” Barkley on Monday, January 22, 2024, at the age of 75 years old, Ethel quietly transitioned surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was born Wednesday, February 18, 1948, in Newberry, SC. The daughter of Simpson Mathew and Eva Mae “Lindsay” Turley, Sr.

In 1949, Ethel’s family relocated to Buffalo, New York. After graduating from East High School in 1966, Ethel began pursuing a career in Nursing by attending Buffalo’s School of Nursing. It was these acquired skills that enabled Ethel to relocate her family to Lansing, Michigan in 1979 where she joined the State of Michigan Department of Corrections. She was employed there for more than 24 years before retiring.

Known to everyone as “Mae-Mae,” she enjoyed gardening, reading, fishing, and traveling. Mae-Mae had her most enjoyment spending time with her family, celebrating their many accomplishments. Ethel was very warm-hearted and outgoing, willing to help anyone in need. Mae-Mae, a certified genius, loved to challenge her children and grandchildren intellectually.

Ethel was considered by many to be a bingo savant, as she would often be found reading a book while playing 20+ bingo cards without the aid of a marker or chip. When she wasn’t playing bingo or gardening, Ethel would watch crime shows such as First 48, ID Channel, and CNN in which she would contact her flock about pending dangers.

She leaves to cherish her memory, 3 daughters, Dawn (Frank) Hardin, Dana (James) Johnson, and Brittani (Terry) Hagwood; 7 grandchildren; Frank (Sarah) Hardin, Jr., Dionna Hardin, Darrius Turley-Goss, Jenifer (Frank) James, Jhamani Johnson, Ava-Simone Gay, and Tobias Hagwood; 7 great-grandchildren; LeeAnn Hardin, Alexa Hardin, Gabrielle Hardin, Izayah James, Zy’Aire James, Olivia Hardin, and Samuel Hardin; 7 sisters, Delores Burwell, Barbara Taylor, Patricia (Ricky) Moore, Eva Mae (John) Slaughter, Betty (Anthony) Taylor, Victoria (Arthur) Jackson, and Vanessa Turley; 4 brothers, Simpson (Allison) Turley, Jr., Jerome (Karen) Turley, and Richard (Phoebe) Turley; many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, other relatives and friends including special friends, Lionel Barkley, Charles Green, Angela Union, Patricia Ferguson, and Erma Dorty.

She was preceded in death by her parents, maternal grandparents, Bennie Lee Lindsay and Ethel (Wise) Lindsay; paternal grandparents, Andrew Turley and Sally Olivia (Floyd) Turley; sister, Catherine Arnold, brother, Adam Turley, niece, Sherrie Bland, brother-in-law, Robert Burwell, and special friend, John Welch.