Obituaries

Twice surviving breast cancer, she retired in 2004 because of health issues. She moved with her husband, a Foreign Service officer, to the Dominican Republic, returning to Washington every three weeks for chemotherapy. In 2006, her husband was reassigned to Nassau, the Bahamas, and she lived there until the past few months, when she resided at her parents' second home in Florida. She and her husband were buying a home in North Potomac.

She was born in Alexandria and was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Colgate University. She received a law degree from the University of Chicago in 1990, then returned to the Washington area to work for Commerce in the Honors Attorney Program.

Ms. Messing was active in breast cancer support groups and was a volunteer English as a Second Language instructor in Silver Spring.

Survivors include her husband of 12 years, Daniel O'Connor of North Potomac; a son, Devin O'Connor of North Potomac; her parents, Judith and Phillip Messing of Potomac; her grandmother, Ann Regan of Norwalk, Conn.; her sister, Barbara Messing of San Francisco; and her brother, Charles Messing of North Potomac.

-- Patricia Sullivan

John Alfred Turner Jr.Attorney, UDC Administrator

John Alfred Turner Jr., 59, a lawyer and an administrator at the University of the District of Columbia, died of lymphoma May 19 at the Washington Hospital Center. He lived in Silver Spring.

Mr. Turner was UDC's assistant vice president for student affairs for about three years until he became ill. He also was the interim athletic director, NCAA compliance officer and director of student disciplinary adjudication.

From 1989 to 2004, he was chief of staff with the Minority Business Enterprise Legal Defense and Education Fund Inc. and managing partner of the Dixon, Smith and Turner law firm.

Mr. Turner was born in Washington and graduated from DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville and Howard University, where he was news editor of the university newspaper.

He received a juris doctor degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1973 and a master of laws degree there in 1978. He was a law clerk in D.C. Superior Court under Judge William C. Pryor.