John Walton Orvin

John Walton Orvin, 91, of Charleston, South Carolina, husband of Edna Beach Orvin entered into eternal rest Friday, August 24, 2012. His Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, August 29, 2012, in Bethel United Methodist Church, 57 Pitt Street, at 11:00 a.m. Interment, Magnolia Cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in J. HENRY STUHR, INC., DOWNTOWN CHAPEL.

Mr. Orvin was born July 12, 1921 in Columbia, South Carolina, son of Jesse Wright Orvin and Ruth Walton Orvin. He was a 1942 graduate of The Citadel. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942 until 1946 as a captain in the Pacific Theater, assigned to the 467th Quartermaster Truck Company in New Guinea.

He served as an executive with the Atlantic Coast Life Insurance Company from 1946 until 1952. He founded the Orvin Mortgage Company in 1952. He was instrumental in the founding of the Orvin Inns located in North and South Carolina. He owned a radio station in Bennettsville, SC during the 1950s. He founded Quality Nursing Centers with operations in Charleston and Greenville. He was instrumental in aiding the SC State legislature in drafting model nursing home legislation which did not exist at the time. He affiliated with The South Atlantic Life Insurance Company in 1967 and retired as the CEO in 1989. He served as President and Director of the South Carolina Association of Life Insurance Companies.

He was member of Asbury then Bethel United Methodist Churches during his lifetime. He served on various committees in finance and personnel. He was a Sunday School teacher for over 60 years. He was especially interested in youth development at Asbury. Many of his former students are leaders in the Charleston Community today.

He was actively involved in Boy Scouts for over 70 years. He received the Boy Scout's highest honor, the Silver Beaver, in 1967. He continued to serve for many years in multiple capacities for the remainder of his life including Council Commissioner, Member of the Executive Board and the Investment Committee. The Boy Scouts and the Methodist Church jointly awarded him the God and Service Recognition Award. He was the 2010 Eagle Class honoree.

He was a member of the Downtown Rotary Club for 54 years serving on the Board of Directors, a Program Chairman, and many other committees. He was a Paul Harris Fellow.

His hobbies included worldwide travel, model railroading, golf and flying.

He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Edna Beach Orvin; one daughter, Dr. Donna Clair Orvin, of Conway, SC; three sons: J. Walton Orvin, Jr. (Marilyn) of Mt. Pleasant, David Beach Orvin (Caroline) of Charleston and Henry Wright Orvin (Laura) of Charleston; seven grandchildren, Elizabeth, Christopher, Rhett, Matthew, Sarah (Hart), Mark and Gloria: a great-grandson, Alexander; a brother, Dr. George H. Orvin (Rosalie) of Charleston; and three sisters, Miriam O. House (Hendricks) of Lauderhill, FL, Anne O. Yarborough of Charleston and Shirley O. Munn of Pamplico, SC. He was predeceased by his son, Mark George Orvin.

Memorials may be made to Bethel United Methodist Church, 57 Pitt Street, Charleston, SC 29401.