Meet Samantha Turner, a vibrant community advocate, dedicated mother, and creative entrepreneur whose journey to Hemlock has been filled with both challenges and triumphs.
Born in the charming Lake Michigan beach town of New Buffalo, just 70 miles from downtown Chicago, Samantha is the oldest of three girls. Tragically, they lost their mother when they were all under five years old. Their incredibly resilient father raised them in New Buffalo until a job transfer brought the family to Hemlock in 1985. A freshman in high school, Samantha and her sisters were welcomed into the Hemlock Middle School fold, back when the freshman class was still in the middle school building. Conveniently, they were staggered throughout the grades: 7th, 8th, and 9th. Having grown up near the big city life of Chicago, it took them some time to adjust to life in our small, rural town, often wondering where the lake was.
Samantha met her husband, Greg, the following year at the tender age of 15. She was a sophomore and he was a senior. They dated through high school and made the long-distance relationship work over the next four years as Greg went off to Ferris State University. Samantha graduated from Hemlock High School in 1989 and went on to study Marketing and Merchandising at Delta College.
They married in 1992, making beloved Hemlock teacher and principal Judy Turner Samantha’s mother-in-law. Within a few years, they were expanding their family, and Samantha chose to stay home to raise their three growing children. Passionate about service, Samantha used any available time to actively engage in school activities. From volunteering in the classroom and chaperoning dances and events to acting as her kids’ class advisor and serving as one of the original members of the Hemlock Community Pep Club, Samantha was a whirlwind of creativity and service. Her sons and daughter graduated from Hemlock High School in 2009, 2012, and 2017, respectively, all three at the top of their class (both boys were the salutatorians of their class).
As if raising her children and being actively involved in their school activities wasn’t enough, Samantha soon found ways to express her creative energy outside of the school. When the original Hemlock hair salon, Custom Cut, needed a new owner in 2011, Samantha stepped in with a fresh vision. Already relocated to Elm Street, the salon was renamed Custom Style Salon and became an exciting new venture. Shortly after purchasing the salon, Samantha turned her passion for crafting delicate desserts and styling beautiful events into another business endeavor by launching Sentimentally Sweet in 2012.
While her children are all graduated and will soon all be married—her daughter recently married middle school teacher Tristan Siler—she remains deeply committed to Hemlock and passionate about seeing needs met and people connected. “We are firmly rooted here in Hemlock,” Samantha says with a proud smile. “Our ties are so strong, spanning multiple generations. My in-laws, my husband and I, and all of our children have graduated from Hemlock, and now our little grandson is in the childcare here.” Serving on the Richland Township Community Association, the festive crew who create all the Christmas magic around town during Hometown Holidays, Samantha is also the vice-president of the Hemlock Business Association. Most recently, she’s been instrumental in making the Food Pantry distribution a success, pouring hours into the setup, distribution, and cleanup of this essential service.
Samantha Turner’s roots have grown deeply into the fabric of this unique town, and she truly loves the people and culture of Hemlock. Her dedication to family, community, and creativity continues to inspire all who know her.
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