June 10, 1930 – November 3, 2022
Jewel Seats, 92, Lebanon, passed away on Thursday morning, November 3, 2022, at Homewood Health Campus in Lebanon, Ind. Born June 10, 1930, in Grundy, Ky., she was the daughter of the late John Robert and Canzada (Watkins) Turner.
Many people have a natural gift; for Jewel, it was helping others. During her working years she did a little bit of everything – working at Spicewood Egg Farm and GC Murphy, and helping out at Stuckey Farms during the summer and fall, but the years she spent as a CNA with Sheridan Healthcare Center were some of her favorites. She enjoyed getting to know the residents and their families, as well as being an advocate for the loved ones who were in her care.
She and her husband Richard both worked the family farm in addition to their other responsibilities. Jewel did NOT take a back seat supporting role in this adventure. If a man could do it, so could she. From driving the equipment, doing yardwork and gardening, to being the chief mechanic and resident Mr. (or Mrs.) Fix-it that kept the whole operation going, she was in her element when she was on the farm. She and Richard also owned and operated their own tax service, helping countless people navigate the intricacies of a part of life that few enjoy or even understand.
There was one thing that could pull Jewel back inside and force her to take a break, and that was her soaps. She was a loyal fan of General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, and All My Children, and could tell you the history and back stories of every character, as if they were a part of her own family. Jewel took it pretty hard the day Guiding Light was canceled.
She also liked to read, as well as seek out new additions to her legendary doll and chicken collection. When it came time to play cards, the family “Card Shark” was always up for a game, especially Canasta.
Family was always on her mind and there was nothing she wouldn’t do for any of them. Jewel loved to sew and crochet, and that usually led to either a blanket or a quilt being made for one of the grandkids … and with a family this size, that was no small task.
She was a woman of strong faith and even stronger conviction. Her Church family held a special place in her heart. She was a member of Pine Hill Baptist Church in Kentucky, the Sheridan Church of God, and Walnut Street Baptist Church in Lebanon.
Jewell is survived by three sons, Randy A. Seats (Margaret) of Mooresville, John M. Seats of Kirklin, and James Seats of Greenfield; five daughters, Linda J. Trips (John) of Lebanon, Colleen V. Hendricks (Jeffrey) of Jamestown, Kanzady G. Colbert (Rex) of Lebanon, Jane R. Morris (Jeffrey) of Sheridan, and Julie F. Horton of Lebanon; 29 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Thelma Smith of Lebanon, and Evelyn Landers of Strawtown; three sisters-in-law, Virginia Turner, Ella B. Hedge, and Phyllis Turner; and by her canine BFF, Holly.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John Robert and Canzada (Watkins) Turner; son, Richard Russell Seats; great-grandchild, Carilyn Seats; daughters-in-law, Shirlynn Seats and Candace Seats; brothers-in-law, Grady Smith and Bill Landers; brothers, Arthur, Horace, Earl, Arvel, John, Gene, Lincoln, and Edward Turner; sisters, (infant) Virginia Turner and Ruby Hunt; and by her loving husband of 61 years, Richard Campbell Seats, on December 16, 2009. Richard and Jewel were married on January 9, 1948.
Services will be held at noon on Friday, November 11, 2022, at Kercheval Funeral Home, 306 E. 10th St., Sheridan, with visitation from 11 a.m. until the time of service. Burial will follow at Wright-Bethel Cemetery in Waugh, Ind.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be presented to either the Boone County Cancer Society or to Paradigm Hospice.
Condolences: kerchevalfuneralhome.com