CAMDEN — Cornelia “Nina” Turner passed away May 4, 2016, after a brief illness. Nina was born in 1944 in Boston, Mass., to Nathaniel S. and Carmen Z. Simpkins from Manchester, Mass. After attending the Windsor School in Boston and graduating from the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., Nina began her first year of college at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

With a love for literature and travel, Nina transferred to the University of Geneva in Switzerland for her second year of college. It was here that she started to immerse herself into European culture and literature. In 1965 she enrolled in College Year in Athens.

She remained in Greece for six years, learning the language, becoming a translator under the tutelage of one of the country's most renowned translators and immersing herself in the culture and life. She had a particular interest in Greek women and their role in the Greek Civil War. Unfortunately, a military coup would take place during this time and Nina and several of her friends would flee Greece and settle in England. This is where she would remain until the early 1970s. Nina then returned to the United States and met her lifelong mentor, who encouraged her to complete her college degree. It was 1976 when Nina received her Bachelor of Arts degree in literature from Regis College. Shortly after, Nina was accepted into a doctorate program at Harvard University in comparative literature, specializing in modern Greek literature.

In 1978, on a blind date for doubles tennis, a mutual friend introduced Nina to her future husband who owned a travel business. Within a short period of time he sold that business and the two headed off to explore the world. The rest is history. The two traveled the world for over a year before returning to the U.S. and starting a family in northern Massachusetts.

Nina spent several years raising her children in various schools. It was not long before she realized that she wanted more for them. Although being encouraged to begin a serious writing career by her mentor, Nina decided to homeschool her two children. This allowed her the opportunity to open a text book while studying the Italian Renaissance and be beneath the Dumo in Florence, Italy, or huddle around a tipi campfire in Oklahoma while studying the Native American Indians. Nina believed and found great joy in the benefits and opportunities of fully immersing her children in the many cultures she loved. Eventually, she enrolled both her children in the International Baccalaureate Program at the International School in Toulouse in France. It was during this period and especially while living in France that Nina was happiest. Both children graduated with high honors and entered universities abroad, from which they later successfully graduated, attributing all of this to their loving and adventurous mother.

As Nina prepared to get back to writing, she found herself doing what she felt was her duty and decided to become the primary caregiver for her mother who had developed Alzheimer's disease. It would be another 10 years before she would have a chance to write for herself.

Nina will be greatly missed and remembered by so many for thinking of others and their needs before her own, for her unbelievable strength and forward thinking views, and for daily walks with a dog in tow - and one in her purse - through the village, stopping en route to say hello or buy something fresh for dinner.

Nina leaves behind a husband, Stephen; a daughter, Bryana; a son, Nicholas; and several brothers and a sister. A celebration of Nina's life will be announced at a future date.

Arrangements are under the care of Direct Cremation of Maine.