KU News Release

KU officials issue statements on death of longtime employee Jay Turnbull

Ann, Jay and Rud Turnbull

LAWRENCE — University of Kansas Chancellor Robert Hemenway and John Colombo, director of the Life Span Institute, issued the following statements today regarding the death of Jay Turnbull. Turnbull worked at KU for 20 years, most recently as an office and clerical assistant at the Beach Center on Disability. He was the son of H.R. “Rud” and Ann Turnbull, founders and co-directors of the Beach Center on Disability.

Hemenway: “Jay Turnbull helped open doors for people with intellectual disabilities through his example and his inspiration to his parents and others. On behalf of the entire university community, I offer the deepest condolences to his family, friends and co-workers. Our hearts are with them.”

Colombo: “J.T. was a good friend to many of us at the Life Span Institute and was a constant source of good cheer and kindness to all. We join with Rud and Ann Turnbull and the Beach Center family in sharing this loss. We will all miss him terribly.”

Jay Turnbull, 41, died of natural causes Wednesday at his home. He is survived by his parents and his sisters, Amy Turnbull Khare and Katherine Turnbull. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont St. The family will meet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 9 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th St.

As a child, Jay Turnbull was diagnosed with multiple intellectual disabilities. His experiences fueled his parents’ passion to research support systems for adults with intellectual disabilities. He had lived independently since age 22, with support from family and friends.

Rud and Ann Turnbull, the Ross and Marianna Beach Distinguished Professors at KU, established the Jay Turnbull Fellowship in 2008. The fellowship supports KU doctoral students and researchers who are affiliated with the Beach Center on Disability, a center affiliated with the Life Span Institute and the Department of Special Education.

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