Deborah Ann Turner, the 20th president of the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) and chair of the Board of Trustees of the League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF), was a lawyer and physician who specialized in gynecologic oncology, general surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology. She was a lifelong advocate for women’s empowerment and voting rights. During her years of service to the LWV , Dr. Turner fought for a more representative union and was pivotal in uplifting racial equity in the League’s mission work. Her mantra was “Keep On Keeping On!” and she inspired us to do just that. A resident of first Nebraska and then Iowa, she was elected board president at the League of Women Voters's 54th and 55th National Conventions, in June 2020 and June 2022. Dr. Turner first joined the League of Women Voters of Metro Des Moines in 2010. During her years in Iowa, her dual roles within state and local Leagues resulted in Dr. Turner’s devoting her leadership to strengthening relationships between local leagues and the state board. Deborah Turner began her journey towards League and community leadership when, in 1973, she received a B.S. degree from Iowa State University where she was the first African-American woman asked to join a sorority. She became interested in medicine because her older sister, Delores, was a registered nurse. She later became interested in becoming a doctor when her husband asked why she didn't become a doctor. Dr. Turner went on to earn her M.D. from the University of Iowa in 1978. In 1985 she became the first African-American certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the specialty of gynecologic oncology. In 2007 she received her J.D. from Drake University. While working as a gynecological oncologist, she traveled to Tanzania multiple times to participate in medical missions and has worked with different medical centers to help children. In July 2015 she stopped practicing medicine to work at the Iowa-based Outreach Program as Vice President of International Programs and also served as Associate Medical Director of Planned Parenthood of North Central States. As a result of her medical expertise and dedication to women’s equality, Dr. Turner saw her work in reproductive health care and democracy defense as intertwined. She stated, “equality of the sexes is necessary to keeping the promise of democracy — and that such equality is not achievable without reproductive freedom!” In 2013 Dr. Turner was inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame and two years later received the Gertrude Rush Award from the National Bar Association, named in honor of the first African-American woman to be admitted to the practice of law in Iowa, in 1918. “Dr. Turner was the consummate leader who poured her heart and soul for the preservation of our democracy," said Virginia Kase Solomón, CEO of the League of Women Voters. “Her leadership exemplified grace, empathy, strength, and determination, and we will forever be grateful for her passion and dedication to this organization.” The LWVR sends our condolences to Dr. Turner’s family. We join with Leagues throughout the country in a commitment to honor her legacy by continuing to uphold our values to empower voters and build a stronger, more inclusive democracy. We are grateful for her inspiration to continue this work. We will “Keep On Keeping on!” Rest In Power Deborah Ann Turner!
