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The retired restauranteur, who was named the first-ever “Golden Bachelor” this week for the \"Bachelor\" franchise’s senior citizen spinoff series, was previously married for 43 years to his high school sweetheart, Toni. She died in 2017, just six weeks after she retired, he told “Good Morning America.” The couple have two daughters together.

When asked what his late wife would think about being named as the \"Golden Bachelor,\" Turner said he thinks she would be “happy.”

“I think she’s probably seen me fail at a number of attempted relationships and dating, and I think she would approve of this,” Turner said. “It’s positive, it’s energetic, it’s a way of communicating and finding the connection with a number of people, but specifically one special person.”

\"PHOTO:
Brian Bowen Smith/ABC
PHOTO: Gerry Turner poses for this promotional photo for the upcoming show.
>

Ahead of his season, Turner said he’s not nervous, and most excited for the first night when he gets to meet everyone.

“That’s really a moment, but I think that sort of sets the tone mentally for me,” he said.

Turner added that he is just soaking in every moment of this experience and wants life to “slow down.”

“I want to enjoy every moment,” he said. “I want to be able to make a mental note or write in a log book at night some of the high points of the day, and remember those moments. And if I can do that, it will be pretty fun.”

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