Dana Hughes talked to Ray Tourville on Thursday while he was at Kishwaukee Community Hospital. They were working on a memo he wanted to send out Monday.

“He was a workaholic,” Hughes said.

D. Raymond Tourville, chair of the foreign language department, died Friday night.

He went to the hospital last week to get a procedure on his blocked artery and was released Friday evening. He had a heart attack that night. He was 68 years old.

“He had this kind of procedure before,” Hughes said. “We expected him back today.”

Hughes, who had been his secretary for 12 years, said he was a very family-oriented person.

“He treated us girls in the office like family,” she said. “He invited us to Christmas lunch every year.”

During his time at NIU, Tourville helped to create the foreign language residence program, one of the oldest residence programs at NIU.

Gregory T. Ross, assistant coordinator for the program, said students who are interested in foreign languages and cultures can live in the International House at Douglas Hall.

Those who want to learn French, Spanish, German, Japanese or Russian have native speakers as mentors and are able to learn about the culture of interest.

“He was lingual himself,” Ross said. “He wanted a place where students could practice their language skills.”

Ross worked with Tourville for about four years.

“He was very detail-oriented,” Ross said. “He was always willing to go that extra mile. He was an integral part of NIU campus.”

Tourville also was responsible for opening the foreign language lab.

“The foreign language lab was Ray’s dream,” said Fred Kitterle, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Kitterle said he worked with Tourville for about 10 years.

“He just liked people,” he said. “He wanted an intellectually rich campus.”

Tourville first came to NIU 42 years ago as an assistant French professor. He became chair in 1995. Hughes said Tourville planned to retire in January.

Tourville is survived by his wife; a daughter, Lisa (Ed) Sullivan of Chicago; and a son, Marc Tourville, of Chicago.

The wake will be held from to 4 to 8 p.m. today at the Anderson Funeral Home, 2011 S. Fourth St. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Newman Catholic Student Center. Following the funeral, burial will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery on Fourth Street.