No one in the packed sanctuary of The Church Without Walls was surprised by the common theme that emerged during the March 15 service celebrating the life and legacy of Sylvester Turner.
Ironically, a New Yorker might have put it best.
“It was Sylvester Turner who put the ‘H’ in H-town,” said House Minority Leader Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, listing Turner’s “H” credentials.
Turner, H-Town proud
Jeffries continued: “He was born and raised in the Acres Homes community. His parents never graduated from high school, but he became the high school valedictorian. He went from the high school valedictorian to the University of Houston. He went from the University of Houston to Harvard Law School. From Harvard Law School to a high-powered law firm. From a high-powered law firm to his own law firm.”
Turner then went from his law practice to being a Texas State Representative. From there, he made it to City Hall and finally the House of Representatives, prompting Jeffries to say, “Turner carries that `H’ all the way through.”
Jeffries wrapped up the ‘H-Town’ sermon saying, “I think can I say with an ecclesiastic degree of certainty, that [Turner] had one final destination. He’s in a better place right now, upstairs in heaven.”
Other words celebrating Turner
Plenty more divine words were shared in honor of Turner, the former state representative with nearly 30 years of service, two-term Houston mayor and congressman of the historic 18th Congressional District.
Turner’s daughter, Ashley Paige Turner, spoke of proudly sharing her father with the city, his fierce love of family and his ability to connect deeply with so many people.
“If I asked my dad’s best friends to stand up, half of this room would rise to their feet,” said Ashley.
County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who had known Turner since both were teenagers, said Turner had neither the time nor the heart to hold grudges.
“Sylvester was too busy lifting every voice and bringing people together to move the state forward, to move the city forward,” said Ellis, who mentioned Turner sharing with him that he was writing a book about his life.
“My greatest regret,” added Ellis, “is that members of Congress will never see what that last chapter would have been about.”
H-Town impact
Even more than Turner’s fierce yet natural respect for all persons regardless of station or title—a Turner quality echoed by program speakers and service attendees alike—it was Turner’s undying love for all things Houston that carried the day.
“It was important for me to be here to celebrate the life of a political giant, of a family man, a sponsor, a person who didn’t look for followers, but looked to make sure that the city of Houston, the state of Texas, and our country had more leaders,” said Houston City Council member and Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Castex-Tatum. “He was an incredible man, and he deserved every honor that he has received on this journey.”
Human and Civil Rights activist and Advocate Dr. Candice Matthews felt it was only fitting that she be present for the celebration of Turner’s life and legacy.
“It was important for me to be here because one, he is one of our political giants,” said Matthews. “He was the one who paved the way, on whose shoulders we would stand in order for us to pave the way where we are today. I’ve been knowing Sylvester since I was a child. He’s actually my sister’s god-dad.”
Matthews also referenced a comment made during the service by Turner’s pastor, The Church Without Walls (TCWW) Dr. Ralph West. West mentioned “fake friends” as one of the many challenges Turner had to contend with as a public figure.
“I made it real clear about them fake friends, because I was in them rooms. I know who they are. So I wanted [Turner] to know that we are here, Ashley, the entire family, and we love you,” added Matthews.
TCWW member Catherine Blackwell-Garner felt honored and compelled to be in attendance.
“I have been a member of this church almost as long as the late Congressman and the impact that he’s had on Houston has just really been innumerable,” said Blackwell-Garner. “I just can’t name all of the contributions that he’s made to this great city. It has been a privilege for me to say that I attend the same church as Sylvester Turner.”
Through highs and lows
West took a different approach in his words of remembrance. While speakers focused on Turner’s “highs” West thought it was important to speak about the man who had to deal with his share of lows. He even compared him to the biblical figure Job, with both living big, public lives filled with highs and lows.
“Being the pastor, you get conversations nobody else gets. And I know some of the hurts and I know some of the disappointments [Turner experienced],” said West. “But it is true that he never, never held grudges on things like that. Somewhere, he knew that God was greater than any setback or step aside and that God can raise you up.
West added that like Job, Turner could say, even amid disappointment and turmoil, “I know my redeemer lives.”
“I’ve watched that in Sylvester Turner. I’ve seen that politically, religiously, familially, socially, where he’s had to say, ‘I know my redeemer lives,’” West eulogized. “I watched him in life where he had been faced with confrontations and disappointments, and yet he was able to say, ‘I know my redeemer lives.’ How do you get to that point? Diagnosed with cancer, and Sylvester was smart… He was a Harvard scholar and there were a lot of things he knew, and that was good. But the one thing that he really knew is that his redeemer lives.”
