Greenville Oliver Perry Earle Jr., of 429 East Parkins Mill Road, died Dec. 27, 2005. He was the son of Minnie Gwinn Earle and Oliver Perry Earle, and was born in Greenville on July 26, 1914. Mr. Earle is survived by his wife, Louise Jordan and his three children, Louise Earle Oxner and husband, G. Dewey Oxner Jr., O. Perry Earle III and wife, Rebecca, and Fletcher Jordan Earle and wife, Mary Helen. He had nine grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Mr. Earle attended Greenville public schools and The Citadel, where he graduated in 1936 with a degree in Business Administration. He entered the U.S. Army in 1941 and served on active duty as an Artillery Battalion commander for five years, three years of which were in North Africa, Italy, France, Germany and Austria. His awards include the Bronze Star, Croix de Guerre, Order of the Army with Cluster, and seven campaign stars. He remained in the Army Reserve after World War II, retiring in 1974 with the rank of Colonel. Following his discharge from active military duty in 1946, Mr. Earle began his business career as a mortgage banker with Liberty Life Insurance Company. He later started General Mortgage Company, which became Cameron Brown Company. After leaving Cameron Brown Co., Mr. Earle joined Carolina Federal Savings and Loan, where he served as Chairman and President until his retirement in 1982. Mr. Earle was active in the community, where in 1976 and 1977 he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Greenville Hospital System and in 1981 was the first chairman of the newly established Greenville Hospital System Foundation. He was a past Chairman of the United Way Campaign, a director of the Kiwanis Club, The YMCA, the Greenville Fee Medical Clinic, The Greenville County Foundation, and Fireman’s Pension Fund. He was a past president of Green Valley Country Club. Mr. Earle’s mountain home at Caesar’s Head was always a special place for him, and he was extensively involved with activities and leadership of the community. He served as a trustee and Chairman of the Board of Faith Memorial Chapel in Cedar Mountain, N.C. Mr. Earle was also actively involved with Christ Episcopal Church, where he served on the Vestry, as Senior Warden for two terms, and as President of the Endowment Corporation. He was a member of the Board of Visitors of Christ Church Episcopal School, and also active in the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina, where he served as a member of the Standing Committee, Chairman of Finance, a member of Bishop and Council, and a delegate to National Convention. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, with burial in the Church Yard. The family is at the home and will receive friends tonight from 4 to 7 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Matthew 25 Mission Fund of the Christ Church Endowment Corporation, 10 North Church St., Greenville, SC 29601 to Faith Memorial Chapel, Cedar Mountain, NC, c/o Mr. Steve Mitchell, 104 Atwood St., Greenville, SC 29601 or to the charity of one’s choice. The Mackey Mortuary, Century Drive.
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