Mike Turk

Mike Turk, 56, of Ozark, Missouri, passed away on August 20th, 2024, while driving his custom black Indian motorcycle home from Branson, Missouri, at sunset. Mike was born to parents Jim Turk and Lila (Shuster) Stout on May 20th, 1968, in Aurora, Missouri.

 As a child, he moved all over the United States and lived in Japan fora year while his stepdad was stationed in Okinawa. Mike graduated from Glendale High School in 1986. After High School, he worked as a meat cutter for Food 4 Less. He worked diligently and advanced to the position of meat manager, then later to meat director and perishable director positions for Summer Fresh, Price Cutter, and Woods Supermarket. He finished his career as a business manager with Acosta Foods. His colleagues knew him as a “class act.”

Mike enjoyed traveling, all kinds of music, especially classic rock, watching movies, cooking, and entertaining for family, friends, and neighbors. He loved riding dirt bikes with his kids, attending concerts, riding motorcycles, working on various home improvement projects, boxing, playing golf, watching Formula One racing, and tailgating. He was a fanatic for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was passionate about his animals, especially his Frenchie, Gram, and black and white spaniel, Abby. He coached his kids’ football teams, taught Sunday school, learned how to play guitar, and competed in Muay Thai (martial arts) competitions in the 1980s.

On September 5th, 2010, he married his best friend Kimberly (Stone) Turk. They have known one another since 1998. Together they shared many of the same interests, but above all, they enjoyed spending time with their children and family. They held a rare form of love and friendship for one another that is hard to find.

Mike is survived by his wife, Kim Turk, mother, Lila Stout, and brother Todd Houk. Children: Christian Turk and his mother, Jennifer Ritchey. Sydney (Wickman) Nemmers (Tyler), Riley Turk, Mason Turk, and their mother, Kelly (Wickman) White. Kristin (Eason) Perry (Caleb). And his four grandchildren: Jenysn Perry, Ledger Perry, Brooks Nemmers, and Reese Nemmers. Mike was always present for his children and grandchildren. He was there for it all: the band concerts, doctor appointments, t-ball games, Halloween grandparent parades, sushi dates, or just a Saturday in the garage changing the oil in the car. Mike was genuine, caring, sarcastic, a good listener, gave great advice, fair, hard-working, loving, and kind. He touched the lives of many and will be greatly missed.

Mike’s family wishes to extend an invitation to those who knew and loved him to attend his celebration of life on Saturday, November 9th, from 2 to 5 p.m. at 425 Event Center in Springfield, MO.

Thye family requests no floral arrangements.