Orangeburg philanthropist, supporter of mothers, babies is remembered

Pearl Grace Adams Tourville, philanthropist and MUSC supporter, died June 12 at her home in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Her funeral was held on June 15. She was 90 years old.

Wife of the late Frank Paul Tourville Sr., Mrs. Tourville was the inspiration for the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital and Pearl Tourville Women’s Pavilion, which opened in February of 2020 in downtown Charleston. This specialized area supports women’s health within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, which includes specialized care for mothers and newborn babies, integrated children’s care and obstetrical services and support for mothers in high-risk pregnancies.

Mark A. Scheurer, M.D., professor and chief of Children’s and Women’s Services at MUSC Health, praised the work and legacy of the Tourvilles in supporting the health of women and children in South Carolina and beyond. “Pearl and Frank Tourville positively impacted every community they touched. Their legacy will improve South Carolina residents’ lives for years to come. Above all, they were genuine and caring people who always wanted to help.”

Donna Johnson, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at MUSC, praised the Tourville’s generous spirit and dedication to family and others. “The Pearl Tourville Women’s Pavilion was named for Pearl by her husband, Frank, to honor her for raising their four sons. Mr. Tourville felt strongly about supporting the new children’s hospital, and Mrs. Tourville was honored to have her name on the building. If you knew her, you knew how much it meant to her.”

 

The Tourvilles were great friends and supporters of MUSC. Together, they established the Frank P. Tourville Sr. Arrhythmia Center of Excellence and the Frank P. Tourville Sr. Endowed Chair of Clinical Cardiology at the MUSC Heart and Vascular Center. They also supported projects like the Ben Marino Heart Award, MUSC Hollings Cancer Center LOWVELO bike ride for cancer research and the James B. Edwards Nursing Scholarship in the College of Nursing. During the coronavirus pandemic in the spring of 2020, they helped to fund research and development of serologic testing for COVID-19.

The Tourville’s benevolence and commitment to others were highlighted recently by MUSC President David J. Cole, M.D., FACS.

“The Tourvilles lived lives that prioritized family and community. Their decades-long generosity and community service are unparalleled, with support to charities, universities and especially our MUSC community. Their profound impact will be felt for generations to come,” said Cole.

MUSC Board of Trustees member Barbara Johnson-Williams, who represents the 6th District-Orangeburg, has known the Tourvilles as both friends and neighbors for several years and would often call on them whenever she was nearby in the Garden City.

“Ms. Pearl, as I would call her, was a giant of a lady in our community. Her passing, along with her husband Frank, leaves a big void around Orangeburg and the state,” said Johnson-Williams.

A quiet and gracious woman dedicated to her family and others, Ms. Pearl was very giving to the community whenever there was an identified need, she added. “It didn’t matter where you were from, the type of help that was needed, she would do it. There was nothing in the Orangeburg community that you couldn’t ask for that she wouldn’t provide help in.”

The couple were examples of friendship and goodwill within their own community and around the state.

“If you didn’t spend time to get know Frank and Pearl Tourville, you’d never know their presence in the community. Yet, they were everywhere – attending events, staying involved in activities and providing support. They quietly blended in with the community. No one could ever know the extent they shared in their love and support of others. We are so much better off because of Frank and Pearl Tourville and their choice years ago to relocate and make Orangeburg their home,” Johnson-Williams said.

 

S.C. State Sen. Brad Hutto of Orangeburg also honored the Tourville’s impact and legacy.

“Together, both Frank and Pearl Tourville have left a substantial mark around the Orangeburg community and areas around South Carolina through their community work and philanthropic activities. They made a difference years ago when they relocated their company, Zeus Industrial Products Inc., bringing high-quality technology jobs to the Orangeburg area that have made a meaningful impact and will last way beyond them in the future. We’re going to miss them.”

Originally from Lowville, New York, Mrs. Tourville was the daughter of the late Grace and Clarence Adams and grew up in Upstate New York. She graduated from Plattsburg Community College and, in June 1957, married Mr. Tourville in Clinton, N.Y. A lover of handicrafts and the arts, she owned her own business before their move to the Palmetto State and the launch of Zeus, a now-global supplier of custom polymer components, in 1966.

An active member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Orangeburg, Mrs. Tourville is survived by sons Jeffrey Tourville, Michael Tourville Sr., Douglas Tourville, their wives, 12 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and many loved ones. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank; son, Frank P. Tourville Jr.; and great-grand son, Sean Rivers.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the MUSC Pearl Tourville Memorial Women’s Health Fund, 18 Bee Street, MSC 450, Charleston, S.C. 29425 or the Orangeburg-Calhoun Free Medical Clinic, P.O. Box 505, Orangeburg, SC 29116-0606.