Turner died on February 5 after a battle with Alzheimer’s.
His son Andre, who had returned from London to farewell his father, described a unique childhood with a curious, loving father who took him on many adventures — including watching a rugby league match between Mongrel Mob and Black Power members and a lesbian football team match.
"He smiled and said ‘look, life is beautiful, it’s interesting, it’s really diverse, there’s characters everywhere and if you want to write or live a full life you should go down these kind of routes’."
Breakfast was a big part of the day with his father and involved long, deep conversations about wide-ranging topics from menopause to liberalism to climate change.
Turner had a knack of turning every conversation, regardless of the topic, around to his brothers Glenn and Greg, of whom he was immensely proud.
"I’d be like . . . right, making the association between the North American Free-Trade Agreement and a golf swing — Greg’s . . . I don’t know he might have played in Mexico, I’m not quite sure."
His father also gave him advice on attracting women.
The key was to listen. Most men were egotistical and beat their chests, but if you listened women liked that, his father told him.
Sir Grahame Sydney somewhat burst the image of Turner as a smooth ladies man with an illustration of Turner’s frugality.
He refused to have an electric blanket and would go to bed wearing several pairs of woollen socks, a balaclava and nothing else.
Partner Jillian Sullivan said Turner and his illness taught her love was not something you received in a relationship but an action.
"We knew there was an ending up ahead of us and that threw a tenderness over us."
Turner loved conducting along with classical music right until the last. In honour of that, Sullivan asked the crowd to stand and join her conducting one of his favourite pieces of music.
Afterwards officiant John Campbell said Sullivan’s words were just glorious.
"And it was also magnificently . . . ridiculous at the end, which Brian would have loved. He would have been hooting."
