Copyright expressandstar
Plane crash survivor Ken, 82, was often a controversial character on Dudley Council and believed in members having stronger powers than just a rubber stamp for the executive. Elected in 2001 Ken Turner was followed on the authority by his wife Hazel, who he divorced and remarried, and would often be heard in full council extolling Halesowen as the "jewel in the crown of Dudley". No stranger to the council's standards department, then Councillor Turner vehemently denied being a racist after a he shared a joke about a Somalian immigrant in December 2009. The subsequent investigation cost the taxpayer over £3,700. He was found to be guilty in 2011. His son Adrian also became a councillor, keeping politics in the family and Ken's grandchildren also have been bitten by the politics bug. Adrian posted on Facebook this week: "I am saddened to announce the passing of my father Ken. Dad encouraged people's participation in public service. This has and is being continued by his children and grandchildren. "His legacy was helping those who wanted to give back to the community." Former Conservative Councilor Jeff Hill paid tribute to his former councillor-in-arms. He said: "As a former colleague I would say that “He was a hard worker, strong willed, and sharp-minded. He was not one to be swayed from his views by anyone.” In 2014 Ken and Hazel switched to UKIP following their son's lead as the party surged in polls and Dudley Council adopted an executive led model. Former UKIP European Member of Parliament and Dudley Councillor Bill Etheridge, who is now campaigning for the Conservatives, said: "I’m very sorry to hear of Ken’s passing . He had many years in public service and will be well remembered" In 2014, Ken declared he'd had enough of politics and was not contesting the following year's election. Her was looking forward to a quiet retirement and enjoy his seven grandchildren. However, a year later he popped up in Lancashire back campaigning for the Conservatives.He got the bug back as a parish councillor and then stood to be a councillor in Pendle, winning at his first attempt. However, his entire political career nearly never happened. He defied the odds surviving a plane crash in April 1988. Working as a flight instructor at the time Ken, then 45, and his millionaire pupil Fred Jones, from Oldbury, took off from Half Penny Airport towards North Wales but around 20 miles into the flight the engine iced up after it hit freezing cloud at 3,500 feet. Years later, Ken told the Lancashire Telegraph on the 30th anniversary of his crash landing: "I was confident we would get out of it until I saw the tops of the trees at 1,500 feet. I realised then that I had a problem. I went into the trees to slow the landing but it took just 10 seconds to reach the ground. "The next thing I remember is waking up in hospital." He was left with a fractured skull, shattered jaw and right foot disengaged from his ankle. Mr Jones lost his right eye and broke his spine. Ken added: "The crash made me realise the glory to have survived and realisation that materialism in life is not significant. “Since the crash I have had grandchildren and I would never have seen any of them had I not survived."
