John H. Turner died on July 10, 2026, in Washington, Connecticut.
(The following was provided by Bowdoin College July 23, 2026:)
From: President Zaki <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Subject: John Harold Turner (1941–2026)
To the Bowdoin community,
I am writing to share sad news that Professor of Romance Languages Emeritus John H. Turner passed away on July 10 at his home in Washington, Connecticut, at the age of 84. For forty years at Bowdoin, John was a colleague, mentor, and friend to generations of students. He was a driving force behind the establishment of the Latin American Studies Program at the College in 1999, now the Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies Program.
John was born in London, England, on August 16, 1941. He loved languages and he loved what languages carry—the history, culture, intellectual traditions of a people, and the texture of a single life. Literature was where all of that came together for him. He earned an MA in French and Spanish literature from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 1964, an MA from Indiana University in 1966, and a PhD from Harvard University in 1971. His dissertation, “The Myth of Icarus in Spanish Renaissance Poetry,” was published as a book of the same title in 1976.
John came to Bowdoin in 1971 as an assistant professor of Romance languages and quickly earned a reputation as an outstanding teacher and a scholar of Renaissance Spanish and contemporary Latin American literatures, specializing in the works of Argentine author Julio Cortázar. He taught the first course at Bowdoin in Spanish that was fully devoted to the literatures of Latin America—insisting, in effect, that a common language holds many distinct voices, not just one.
John was tireless in his efforts to advance an interdisciplinary appreciation of Spanish and Latin American literatures, art, and culture. Over the years, he organized Latin American Spring, a series of lectures, films, and art exhibitions; studied literary culture in Nicaragua under the Sandinistas; directed the International Institute Foundation in Spain; and served as the chief faculty consultant for the College Board’s Advanced Placement Examination in Spanish.
Having served as chair of the Department of Romance Languages for a total of fourteen years, John was instrumental in building the department, creating a Latin American studies major, and recruiting outstanding faculty colleagues. As an active and engaged member of the community, John chaired committees on diversity, off-campus study, and Latin American studies and participated as a member of many others during his tenure. Upon his retirement in 2011, the faculty of the Latin American Studies Program established the John Harold Turner Prize in Latin American Studies for a graduating student who demonstrates outstanding achievement in the major.
John moved to Connecticut after retirement, where he continued a life of service to others, as a teacher and mentor in English literacy programs, offering adult education courses, and working with the local community. He lived with a number of ailments in his later years, and he did so with quiet dignity and good humor.
John is survived by his wife, Susan Loyd ’81 of Washington, Connecticut; his daughter, Mimi Turner, and stepsons, Seth and Eli Berry ’92, all of Maine; his ex-wife Sharon, Susan’s daughter, Carrie Loyd, and son, Colin Loyd, of Connecticut and Australia, respectively, and his step-grandchildren, Lisandro, Anibal, Cameron, and Kiki.
We join John’s many friends, former students, and colleagues in extending our condolences to his family and loved ones. A celebration of John’s life will be held Sunday, August 16, at 2:00 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Washington, Connecticut. A second celebration will be held on Saturday, October 10, at 2:00 p.m. at the Bowdoin College Chapel, with a reception to follow.