St. Simons Island, Ga. – Sam L. Irvin, a civic leader and businessman who was perhaps best known for entertaining millions of movie goers in Asheville, N.C., and Columbia, S.C., through his popular chain of Irvin-Fuller cinemas, has died. He was 82. Succumbing to an extended illness, Irvin died peacefully on Wednesday, March 23, 2005, at his home in St. Simons Island, Ga., where he and his wife, Mary, retired after having spent 45 years as prominent citizens of Asheville, N.C. Irvin was born in Columbia, S.C., on Nov. 9, 1922. In 1943, he graduated from the Citadel, of Charleston, S.C., and was immediately commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was deployed to the South Pacific into combat with the First Marine Division seeing action in the Solomon Islands, Peleliu and Okinowa. He was awarded the Air Medal, a Gold Star, a Presidential Unit Citation, and a Navy Unit Citation for combat. Along with his business partner, the late Jack D. Fuller of Columbia, S.C., Irvin owned and managed a chain of 24 movie theaters in Asheville, N.C., Columbia, S.C., and Spartanburg, S.C. four hotels in Columbia (including the Carolina Inn and the Hilton Townhouse) three 24-lane Brunswick bowling centers in Asheville, N.C., Columbia and Greenville, S.C. and a 150 bed intensive care nursing home in Asheville, N.C. Of all his business endeavors, however, it was his cinemas that resonate the most in the fond memories of local movie goers. From 1953 to 1980, before impersonal multiplexes, the Irvin-Fuller Theaters were elegant single and twin movie houses, many of them refurbished vaudeville palaces of yesteryear, including Ashevilles historic Plaza Theater in Pack Square (now the site of Pack Place). During his 45 years in Asheville, Irvin was very active in the community serving as president of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce chairman of the Buncombe County Board of Tax Supervision founder and first president of the Asheville Downtown City Club treasurer of the Asheville Orthopedic Hospital chairman of the advisory board of Converse College president of North Carolina Bowling Proprietors Association president of the Theater Owners of North and South Carolina member of the Asheville Rotary Club Director of NCNB Bank, Asheville trustee of the Asheville School Chief of Staff of the Rhododendron Royal Brigade of Guards and member of the Knights of Laurel founder of the Peak Society of the United Way and member of their board of directors and vice president member of the Boys Club board of directors financial advisor to the Junior League of Asheville president of the Community Arts Council director of The Nature Center and Zoo, Asheville founding board member of Pack Place Education, Arts and Science Center. Along with Glenn Wilcox, he was responsible for bringing the British Airways Concorde to Asheville for a fund raising trip benefiting the Pack Place Education, Arts and Science Center. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Irvin married Mary Adele Bantly of Manchester, Conn., on Dec. 7, 1946. He is survived by his wife, Mary four children, Janet Crowder and her husband, Rob, of Mont Vernon, N.H., Anne Aspinwall and her husband, Mike, of St. Simons Island, Sam Irvin Jr. and his partner, Gary Bowers, of Los Angeles and Tim Irvin of San Francisco five grandchildren, Paige Crowder, Robin Durawa, Dana Aspinwall Plog, David Aspinwall and Ryan Crowder and five great-grandchildren, Matt and Ben Aspinwall, Morgan Plog, Molly and William Durawa. He was preceded in death by his only brother, Charles Warren Irvin, and is survived by two nephews, Warren and Wilmot Irvin of Columbia, S.C. The family is deeply appreciative of his loving caregivers, Wilma and George Gardner, Solomon Carter, Joan Smiley and Sidney Atkinson III. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Monday, March 28, at the Boyd Chapel at The Asheville School . He was dedicated to the revitalization of downtown Asheville and so, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in his name to The Pack Square Conservancy, One West Pack Square, Suite 513, Asheville, NC 28801.
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