Departures of note

Robert Edward Turner III was born on November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and later moved to Savannah, Georgia. After his father's suicide in 1963, he took over the family billboard business and expanded it into a global enterprise, eventually launching the super‑station WTBS in the 1970s.

In 1980, Turner launched the Cable News Network, the first 24‑hour cable news channel, revolutionizing news broadcasting. He also created the Turner Broadcasting System, which included TNT, the Goodwill Games, and the World Championship Wrestling promotion, cementing his influence on entertainment and sports.

Turner was a noted philanthropist, donating $1 billion to establish the United Nations Foundation and co‑founding the Nuclear Threat Initiative to reduce the risk of weapons of mass destruction. He owned vast tracts of land for conservation and bison ranching, and supported environmental causes such as the Captain Planet series.

Turner died on May 6, 2026, at the age of 87 after battling Lewy body dementia, leaving a lasting legacy in media, philanthropy, and environmental advocacy.