Jack Wilkes

Family-Placed Obituary



W. Jack Wilkes W. Jack Wilkes was born December 25, 1918, in Brownwood, Tex., to Jeff Key and Stella Wilkes. Jack passed from this life on December 7, 2004, in Austin. He was 85. Jack was a graduate of the University of Texas in 1941, with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. This began a long and successful career for Jack. After marrying the love of his life, Gay, on August 31, 1941, they immediately moved to Washington D.C., where Jack served as a Naval Architect during WWII. Jack worked for 37 years with the Federal Highway Administration; seven of those years as Chief of Bridge Division for the U.S. Jack ended his service to the government as the Director of Engineering. Jack was considered the "National Authority on Bridges." Jack went on to serve as Senior Vice President of Figg Engineering, of Tallahassee, Fla. for 17 years. He became the namesake for the W. Jack Wilkes Award given by Figg Engineering for loyalty, dedication, professionalism, and optimism. He is also the namesake of a Figg Engineering Building in Tallahassee. Jack earned the rank of Eagle Scout and later served as Scout Master for Austin Troop One for 13 years. He served as the President of the Segmental Bridge institute. An 11-year member of Northwest Hills United Methodist Church, he also was a devoted golfer who enjoyed playing at the Great Hills Country Club. Jack was an incredibly gentle, intelligent, and caring man. He knew no enemies and was greatly respected, both in private life and in business. Most of all, Jack loved his family. He will be missed greatly. A celebration of Jack s life will be held on Saturday, December 11, at 1:00 p.m. in the Colonial Chapel of Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 N. Lamar. Jack is survived by his wife of 63 years, Gay Wilkes; his daughters: Theo Coonrod and husband David of Raleigh, N.C., Trudy Glasscock of Danville, Va., and Gay Lee Pearce and husband Ken of Houston; grandchildren, Seth Van Winkle, Sara Van Winkle, Joshua Glasscock, Gabriel Dalton, Theo Vogel, Salem Pearce, and Jordan Pearce; and four great-grandchildren.