William J. Turbeville

Mr. William J. “Jack” Turbeville, Jr., age 89, of Austin, loving son of Jasper and Lucille Turbeville, died Monday, February 7, 2005. Mr. Turbeville began his distinguished career in the field of international trade and the fertilizer industry in 1936 when he joined American Agriculture Chemical Company (Agrico) as a trainee salesman. By 1963, when Agrico was acquired by the Continental Oil Company (Conoco), Mr. Turbeville had advanced to become Agrico’s President and Chairman of the Board. From 1963, Mr. Turbeville was Vice President and General Manager, Plant Foods of Conoco as well as President and Chairman of Agrico. In 1966, he was also appointed as Chairman of Amalgamated Chemicals, an Australian conglomerate of 42 separate companies owned by Conoco. In 1972, when Agrico was acquired by the Williams Company, he served for a brief period as Vice Chairman of the Williams Board, and later that same year was appointed as Chairman and CEO of the Board of the Phosphate Rock Export Association, the marketing organization representing virtually all the major companies in the U.S. phosphate industry. He served in that position with distinction until 1984. In addition to other industry activity, Mr. Turbeville has served as Chairman of the Board of the Fertilizer Institute, President of the International Super Phosphate Association headquartered in Paris—the only American elected to that position, and Vice Chairman of the Fertilizer Advisory Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization headquartered in Rome. Mr. Turbeville is past Chairman of the Tampa Committee of 100, past trustee of the Florida Council of 100, and was honored as the Florida International Business Person of the Year in 1979, and Tampa Maritime Man of the Year 1982-83. He was an overseer of Old Sturbridge Village. Mr. Turbeville has served on the Board of Directors of various corporations including TECO Energy Company, First National Bank of Lakeland, Second National Bank of Tampa, First Florida Bank of Tampa, and ConAgra Fertilizer Company of Knoxville, Tennessee. Mr. Turbeville is a native of Turbeville, South Carolina, degreed graduate of Kentucky Wesleyan College, later receiving a Ph.D. During WW II, he served in the European Theatre and rose from Private to Major in the U.S. Army. Mr. Turbeville was a 60 year member of Masonic Lodge, Highland Lodge #38, Hillsboro, Ohio and a member of Palma Ceia United Methodist Church in Tampa, Florida. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Ruth; and sons, Dan and Larry; grandson, Raskal Jack; two sisters, Rebecca and Polly; and one brother, Bill. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, February, 11, 2005 at Pinegrove Cemetery in Turbeville, South Carolina. Memorials and guestbook online at wcfish.com