Andy Turner Arant, Sr. passed away peacefully into heaven on Thursday, March 17 ^th , 2021 at his home. Turner was born to Miller Arant and Alene (Domi) Turner on August 17 ^th , 1934, in Blaine, MS. Turner graduated from Sunflower Agricultural High School, in Moorhead, MS in 1952. He went onto Mississippi State University.  Turner had to return home his senior year of college due to his father's death, to run the family farm, in Blaine.  He married Sybil Kirk on June 9 ^th , 1956.  In 1981, Turner returned to MS State to finish his Agriculture degree the same year his son, Andy graduated from MS State.

Turner and his father were among the first to start farming rice in the 1950s in Sunflower County.  He was also a pioneer in the catfish farming industry. He built his first catfish pond in 1962.  Turner helped organize Delta Pride Catfish Processors, Delta Western, Farmers Grain Terminal, Community Bank and served on the board of each of these companies. He was a Rotarian and was active in other civic and volunteer organizations on the local level.

Church life was very important to Turner. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Indianola, where he served on the Official Board. Turner served as a delegate to Annual Conference and General Conference. He served on the General Board of Ministries, United Methodist Relief, and United Methodist Higher Education Foundation.  Turner also served on the World Methodist Council. He served on the Board of the Mississippi Methodist Children's Home and Mississippi Methodist Foundation. He helped organize and was active in the North Mississippi Walk to Emmaus.  Turner was a member of the Gideons. One of his greatest joys was the 20 years he spent going to Honduras on Medical Mission trips spreading the gospel of Jesus.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother Hugh Arant Sr. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Sybil Arant, three children, Andy Turner Arant, Jr (Debbie) of Oxford, MS, Linda Carol Robertson (Jeff) of Indianola, MS, and Kathryn Anne Arant, of Seattle, WA, five grandchildren, LaBeth Brown, Libby McCloud (Josh), Jeremy Brown (Lacey), Rebecca Arant, Robert Arant; and three great-grandchildren; Lindsey Gillis, Lucas Brown, and Eliza Brown; and one sister, Kathryn Arant Ruth of Cleveland, MS.

Turner was loved and cared for by his amazing caregiver Enriecka Bolden, with the help of Rosie Wilson and Linda Plain.

The family will receive friends from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm, Saturday, March 20, 2021, at First United Methodist Church in Indianola. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Sunday, March 21, 2021, at First United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in Lehrton Cemetery in Ruleville. Burton Funeral Home of Indianola has been entrusted with arrangements.

Pallbearers will be Jeremy Brown, Josh McCloud, Robert Arant, Stephen Arant, Miller Arant, John Phillip Land, Allen Arant,  David Arant, and Clint Ruth.  Honorary pallbearers are members of the Swartz-Ward-Rose Sunday school class.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to Indianola First United Methodist Church, FUMC Day School, or Christian Camp of North Mississippi (Emmaus).