James Wilkes, Jr.

Mr. James Edmond Wilkes, Jr. (Jim)

Jim passed away on July 6, 2023. He was living in Fernandina Beach (Jacksonville), FL. He was 77 years old. Jim’s wife (Joyce) preceded him in death, passing away in 2015. Jim and Joyce met in grade school and were inseparable. Jim and Joyce built their life together in Marietta, GA.
Mr. Wilkes working life was full of independent thinking and entrepreneurial drive. In 1977, Jim started the first office furniture installation company specializing in the assembly of office partitions for open office space. This company became known as Office Installations. Jim sold this company to his employees. In 1988, Mr. Wilkes and his partner Allen Holcombe started a work-station remanufacturing company specializing in
re-manufactured Steelcase office furniture. The company was conceived in collaboration with Steelcase CEO Rob Pew and was focused on extending the life of Steelcase’ best-selling product: Series 9000 and embracing the recycling movement in the office furniture market place.
Steelcase purchased this company in 1989 and renamed the company Revest. Jim stayed with Revest after the sale, and continued to develop the company’s distribution and dealer network. In 1991, Jim and his partner Bill Jones started National Furniture Liquidators LLC in Atlanta. NFL was the first Atlanta contract furniture dealer dedicated to reselling used “AS-IS” office furniture to the immerging technology market in Atlanta. NFL operated until 2018 when it ceased operations. Jim surrounded himself with hundreds of books at his home in Fernandina Beach. He was an avid reader of fiction: Connelly, Patterson, Cussler, Thor, Kellerman, Brown, Grisham, Baldacci. Additionally , Jim loved to play golf with his local buddies and enjoyed the out of town golf trips with his Business Buddies coast to coast. He also loved muscle-cars, particularly his 2016 Australian-made Chevy SS. Jim had a sterling reputation within the office furniture community. It was not unusual for people to contact Jim
regarding recommendations to solve logistical or product problems. Jim was known throughout the furniture business as a “ solid, honest, straight talking, good ole boy from South Georgia……...” Jim led many of his employees and business associates to become independent business owners. His wisdom and leadership encouraged exceeding customer expectations and thinking outside the norm when providing office furniture solutions. Though Jim was an intensely private man, he was the first person to reach out to you if you needed help or offer guidance. Jim is survived by his daughters Kristin and Hope, and his brother Rod.

Kristin can be reached at :
92008 Woodlawn Drive
Fernandino Beach, Fl 32034

Crevasse's Simple Cremation is honored to serve the Wilkes family.