Laurie Nelson Ervin Jr.

A true southern gentleman, Laurie Nelson Ervin, Jr., M.D., has gone to the great hunting grounds of heaven to join his maker, his lost hunting buddies and his best hunting dog Buck on Tuesday, April 24, 2018. He was 83.

His memorial service will be held Friday, April 27, 2018 in J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Downtown Chapel, 232 Calhoun Street at 2:00 p.m. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at St. Matthew United Methodist Church in Greenville, SC, on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. A reception will follow at The Poinsett Club.

To know Laurie Ervin was to know a man of great compassion and deep devotion to his calling of being a surgeon. To witness his love and loyalty to his God, his family, his friends and his patients was to see an example of humility and grace personified. Slow to anger and quick to forgive, his gentle and loving spirit touched so many lives. He was a well-respected and much-admired surgeon, loving husband and father, grandfather, brother and friend.

Laurie was born on February 5, 1935 in Indiantown, SC. His father was a plantation manager in Green Pond, SC, near Walterboro, SC. Tragically his father passed away when he was eight years old and as a result his family moved to Dillon, South Carolina where his mother, Carol Stackhouse Ervin, had family. Laurie and his brother Marvin were raised in Dillon. He was a graduate of Dillon High School (class of 1953) Their mother was a schoolteacher and raised them to be hard-working, studious and God loving. She was a fine example of all these things and instilled a great love of nature and God's creatures in her sons.

While a student at Wofford College (Class of 1957) he worked hard in his studies of pre-med, was on the golf team, in the Moyers Men Glee Club, a member of Kappa Alpha order and served as Vice President of that fraternity. After college he served in the Army for a brief period of time and was an instructor on the gun range at Fort Jackson. While living in Columbia, a family friend set him up on a blind date with his future bride, Virginia Sims Dantzler of Elloree, South Carolina. After a brief courtship, they wed in 1959. Soon after he began medical school at The Medical College of SC (which later became known as MUSC), fulfilling his dream of continuing his education to become a doctor. While at MUSC, Laurie and Jennie made many great friends and enjoyed life in Charleston living on Ashley Avenue. Their two children were born during this time, Lesa Ervin Watts and Laurie "Chip" N. Ervin III.

Drs. J.D. Ashmore and Tom Mann, of Greenville S.C., asked Dr. Ervin to join their practice in 1964. This group of surgeons later became Carolina Surgical Associates. He became a vital part of the medical community establishing himself as an exceptionally skilled surgeon. He had the distinction of serving as chief of surgery residents and enjoyed working with the residents. They loved and respected him greatly. Laurie served at many hospitals including: Greenville General, Greenville Memorial and St. Francis. He was known not only for his skills as a fine surgeon but for his compassionate bedside manner and his friendly and outgoing demeanor.

An American Cancer Society Fellowship at M.D. Anderson Hospital took the Ervin family to Houston, Texas in 1968 where he completed a fellowship program for breast cancer surgery. Fond family memories were created with trips to the Astrodome to see baseball and rodeos, camping on Padre Island and to New Mexico complete with seeing a mariachi band and purchasing a sombrero and maracas for his children!

Family and friends called the Ervin's back to Greenville where both Laurie and Jennie served their community in many ways. Laurie was very active in the American Cancer Society, serving as local and state chair, and on the National Board representing SC at The International Cancer Congress. Both Laurie and Jennie were members of the steering committee and host couples for the annual Lawn and Lake Gala, raising thousands of dollars for ACS. Laurie also served on the board of the Greenville County Blood Connection and as a member of the archives and history committee of St. Matthew United Methodist Church. As a faithful member of the Men's Executive Bible Study, he looked forward to fellowship with his friends every Wednesday morning. He also enjoyed social times with his friends at the Poinsett Club and celebrating special family occasions which allowed him opportunities of dancing his favorite dance - the shag.

Laurie Ervin played as hard as he worked which included many fall hunting trips to Montana where he loved to ride horses, make camp and hunt elk with his cousin Charles. Hunting trips at Windfall, Rice Hope, Stuttgart and Arkansas, filled his calendar. He loved to say "My health is better in November referencing the title of a favorite book by Havilah Babcock. Being in the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits were lifelong passions. When he was not hunting and fishing he loved to talk about hunting and fishing encouraging his children and grandchildren in this pastime. He was a Southeastern Wildlife Expo Benefactor for over thirty years and actively supported artists as an avid collector of knives and wildlife art, gaining many friendships and gaining inspiration to pursue his hobby of photographing nature.

Laurie was a proud granddaddy and he loved to entertain his grandchildren with fireworks at family gatherings. As a lifelong member of the NRA, and Ducks Unlimited he thoroughly enjoyed sharing his love of fire arms with his children and grandchildren. He made sure they learned how to handle a rifle or shotgun if they wanted to. If something was broken the family frequently heard, "Granddaddy can fix it!" If it could be glued, stitched or taped back together he could make it right. He was a great teacher who enjoyed sharing his knowledge with others. He loved to study history and participated in the Ollie program at Furman University. One of the history professors even named his group the first South Carolina Dismounted Cavalry.

Laurie will be remembered and missed by many but mostly by his loving wife of 59 years, Jennie; his children and their spouses: Lesa and Bud Watts and Chip and Missi Ervin; grandchildren: Kathryn and Beau Watts, Mary Virginia and Sims Ervin; brothers: Lt. General Marvin Stackhouse Ervin, USAF Ret. (Jenny) of San Antonio, TX and Johnston Dantzler (Jo) of Greenville, SC; sisters-in-law: Fairey Dantzler Logan (Pete) of Columbia, SC and Claire Dantzler Shuler (Irvin) of Santee, SC.

He was comforted by many visits from his human and canine friends. He especially enjoyed a special bond with his buddy "Bailey" who was his loyal canine companion these last years. The family wishes to thank the loving and caring professionals who provided excellent care for "Doc". Drs. John Britton and Lars Runquist, Mary Stafford, Erma Brown, Marilyn Huff, Lisa Simmons and Hospice of Charleston nurses. We are forever grateful for the love and care they provided.

Memorials may be made to St. Matthew United Methodist Church, 701 Cleveland Street, Greenville, SC 29601 or to the Dr. Laurie N. and Jennie D. Ervin Endowed Scholarship fund, c/o Office of Advancement, Wofford College, 429 North Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303.