Kangaroo Island Legends

Molly and Ralph Turner and our family have just celebrated their 100th and 101st descendants with the arrival at the Kangaroo Island Hospital of little Rocco and then Peyton.
Ralph was born and raised at Moonta Park at Smith Bay, in the farmhouse “Dick” Turner built for his wife as a wedding present.
Moonta Park has just been purchased by Yumbah Aquaculture and the homestead will form part of the architectural design plans for the abalone farm expansion.
Molly came over to Kangaroo Island at age 16 for a holiday and then got a job as a telephonist operating the telephone switchboard at the post office.
They mixed in the same circles and they married 68 years ago on Jan. 13, 1954.
After their wedding on the Island, they flew to Adelaide for the wedding reception, landing at Parafield Airport.
A picture snapped of them stepping off the plane ended up going in the Adelaide newspaper, a photo she loves and now has framed in her house.
They found out they were featured in the news on the way to their honeymoon in Mildura.
“We got on the bus the next day and said they had seen us in the paper,” Molly said. “We were thrilled – it’s my best photo.”
Molly is still active at age 87 and plays bowls at Kingscote most weeks.
Ralph meanwhile will celebrate his 90th birthday on September 1 and the family is planning a big party on August 28.
Molly and Ralph had eight children: racing trainer Sam Turner from Bordertown, nursery owner Lindy Bruce from Kingscote, artist Theresa Byles, jockey Lucy Tootle also from Bordertown, hotel and restaurant owner Wendy Brown from Quorn, Trudy-Anne Johnson Sheep farm and Island Trenching owner from Haines, Sophie Sheridan who runs the Lavender Farm at Emu Bay and Larry Turner from Emu Ridge Eucalyptus at Macgillivray.
In addition to the eight children, they now have 32 grandkids, 57 great-grandkids and five great-great-grandkids.
Granddaughter Annie Johnson, and her husband Paul Green, had Rocco on February 22, being the 100th descendent of the couple.
Then grandson Leroy Johnson and his wife Kelly produced Peyton on March 4.
And there is more on the way!