Obituary: Joel C. Turner

Joel C. Turner, co-founder with his family of the former Under Cover Books in Shaker Heights, Ohio, died suddenly this past weekend. He was 58 years old.

In 1978, Turner, with his parents and siblings Philip Turner and Pamela Turner, founded Under Cover Books at Van Aken Shopping Center in Shaker Heights. The business grew to include a location in the historic Old Arcade of downtown Cleveland, and a shop also selling records and CDs in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

Philip and Pamela Turner wrote of their brother: "Joel's role in the bookstores' success and the good reputation we enjoyed in the book world was vital and indispensable. He was always generating exciting new ideas that drove our growth. Joel was a constant reader, a passionate believer in books and the power of the printed word. He derived tremendous satisfaction from selling books to the devoted readers whose trade we cultivated in our bookstores."

Under Cover Books grew into "a go-to store for houses eager to break out books on the national scene," the Turners said, adding that notable authors who launched books at their stores included Mark Helprin, Richard North Patterson, and Walter Tevis.

By the early 1990s, in response to competitive and economic pressures, Joel Turner transformed the bookstore into an operation that served businesses, corporate libraries, schools, and public institutions; changed the name to Undercover Book Service; and launched an online presence. He also became involved in the antiquarian and second-hand book business.

Turner served as a board member of the American Booksellers Association.

In recent years, he was living in Bostic, in Rutherford County, North Carolina. He is survived by his brother, Philip Turner; sister, Pamela; and their families.

Memorial plans are in the works. The family suggests that those who wish to mark Joel Turner's life with a charitable donation make contributions to the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression  or to medical research in search of a cure for diabetes.