Ke'Andre Turner

Ke’Andre Turner lived just five beautiful years but, in that time, he filled the world around him with more light, love, and laughter than some people do in a lifetime. Born on February 24, 2020, Ke’Andre arrived in Kalamazoo as a joyful force of nature. From the very beginning, he was a fighter, overcoming kidney challenges with strength that amazed his family. But if you asked Ke’Andre, he wasn’t sick or brave. He was just busy being himself: playful, curious, and full of big dreams.

To know Ke’Andre was to smile. He had an imagination that could turn cardboard boxes into rocket ships and mud puddles into treasure islands. His laugh? Loud, contagious, and sometimes just a little bit mischievous. He was the kind of kid who walked into a room and made it brighter, who made friends in minutes, and gave the best hugs without ever needing a reason.

His grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, and uncles adored him endlessly. Ke’Andre often talked to his family over FaceTime, which usually meant a view of the ceiling instead of his beaming smile! He loved camping with his Grandma Ami, and the two would swim and play in the sand together. Grandma Grams would often tease that he needed to come visit her, and he would respond with, “No, you come up here!” Even when his relatives couldn’t be close physically, they always kept in touch with Ke’Andre and made sure he knew just how much he was loved.

With a genuine passion for learning, Ke’Andre looked forward to going to school. Books quickly became one of his favorite things, especially the “My First Book…” series and the books with a flashlight to shine behind the pages to magically reveal hidden pictures. His teachers were encouraging and had a big impact on him. He even dreamed of being a teacher himself one day. He was a lively presence in the classroom, and a social butterfly who would make friends with everyone. If Ke’Andre saw anyone who didn’t have a friend, he immediately went to talk to them. This earned him the role of “Bench Buddy” in the classroom. Even if someone was being unkind, Ke’Andre still considered them a friend. His kindness and compassion knew no limits.

There wasn’t a boring moment around Ke’Andre. He loved magic (even when he forgot to say “abracadabra”), made slime in the kitchen like a scientist, and painted masterpieces—sometimes on paper, but often on the wall, the floor, or himself! Ke’Andre’s world was full of the things he adored: robots, construction trucks, dinosaurs, and Toy Story, they all captured his imagination. He was a dancing machine with moves all his own, and his wardrobe was a parade of his favorite colors—bright orange and blue. And those pajamas? Legendary!

Above all else, Ke’Andre loved people. He looked for ways to be helpful whether taking out the trash with dad or helping kids at the playground or water park make it up the rides. He could charm ladies of all ages and had a girlfriend on every playground. Whenever he was asked who his favorite person was, Ke’Andre would say, “They’re all my favorite.”

All who knew Ke’Andre loved his goofy sense of humor and spunky personality. He was the boss of his house, and everyone knew it. Ke’Andre had a flair for the dramatic (every moment was a show), but his humor kept everyone laughing through the chaos. Ke’Andre loved and laughed with all his whole heart. He was a shining example of kindness and willingness to go above and beyond to help others. His insatiable zest for life was contagious, and he truly lived each moment to the very fullest. Although he is so greatly missed, Ke’Andre leaves behind a priceless treasure of memories that his loved ones will forever cherish.

Ke’Andre Turner of Galesburg, age 5, died on July 5, 2025. He is survived by his parents, Brianne Whitten and Kavossia Turner; grandparents: Suzy “Ami” Geno, Ronald Whitten, Andrea “Grams” Turner, Raymond Turner; great-grandparents: Ron Geno, Diana Day, Sharon Whitten, Alice Whisenat, Beatrice Turner; and aunts and uncle: Brittany (Troy “Hamberger”) Dunkelberger, Bianca Godinez, Martell Turner.

A Life Story Service will be held on Monday, July 14, at 11 AM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo. A reception will follow in the Life Story Center. Burial at Oak Grove Cemetery in Galesburg.

Ke’Andre loved big, laughed hard, made friends fast, and never let anything stop him from being exactly who he was – a kind, curious, goofy, strong little boy who believed everyone deserved a friend, and every day was a chance for fun, learning, and a little bit of magic. He was the boss of the house, had the best PJ’s, and every person was his favorite person.

Celebrate Ke’Andre’s life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on his personalized webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial donations may be provided to his family in support of the funeral services at https://gofund.me/3458221f.