Gerry Turner’s Father Dies at 93 Amid ‘Golden Bachelor’ Star’s Cancer Battle

The Golden Bachelor star Gerry Turner has had a tough few months; not only was he diagnosed with an incurable bone marrow cancer in December, but his father died in January.

According to a Legacy.com obituary, Gerry’s father, Everett Wayne Turner, passed away on January 28, 2025, at his home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was 93 years old. A cause of death was not provided.

Everett was married to Mary JoAnn Mudd, who preceded him in death on March 26, 2005. Together, they had three sons and one daughter, Gerry, Larry, Darrin, and Brenda. A baker for his entire career until he retired in 1996, Everett later remarried and became stepfather to five more children.

“He was an awesome Dad who loved his kids, grandkids, great grandkids,” the obit reads. “His love of family was rivaled closely by his love of riding his motorcycle. He was a great example to all in his words and actions.”

A Celebration of Life was held for Everett at a Veterans organization in New Haven, Indiana, on February 15, 2025.

Gerry Turner Instagram

Gerry hasn’t publicly commented on his father’s passing, but he often shared photos with Everett on social media. In a January 2024 post, he shared a selfie with his dad, writing, “I picked up a new BMW in Fort Wayne on Saturday and that was a thrill. But the biggest thrill was that my dad (who is 93yrs old) showed up to share in the fun. Love you dad.”

The passing came just a month after Gerry revealed he had been diagnosed with a slow-growing “bone marrow cancer” called Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia. In a recent interview with the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast, the reality star said there is no cure, but he’s hoping to be around at least another couple of years.

“Until I have any symptoms, there’s no treatment,” Gerry said. “So I go frequently for blood tests. I’m on, like, a six-month schedule now, and I feel optimistic because the doctor has said, ‘Well, when you turn 75, we’re going to have to go three-month increments.’ So it’s telling me that at least he expects me to live another couple of years to get to that. But the bottom line is I feel really good.”

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Turner rose to fame as the lead in the first season of The Golden Bachelor, the Bachelor spinoff featuring a cast of senior citizens. In the November 2023 finale, Turner proposed to 70-year-old Theresa Nist, and they tied the knot in a live ABC special on January 4, 2024. They divorced just three months later.

During his time on the ABC reality show, Gerry opened up about the passing of his late wife, Toni, his high school sweetheart, who died in 2017 from a bacterial infection shortly after they bought their dream home together. They shared two children, daughters Angie and Jenny, who made appearances on The Golden Bachelor.