James Jarvis

JARVIS, James Michael, 64, of Richmond, Va., passed away Friday, March 18, 2011. Michael was born March 21, 1946 in Greensboro, N.C. His family later moved to Richmond where Michael attended Benedictine High School and graduated from Collegiate School for Boys in 1964. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 1968, where he received a B.A. in Economics, was a member of the football team, Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity and the Eli Banana Society. Michael served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 1968 until 1975, when he was discharged with the rank of Captain. Michael was the president of Charter Leasing Corporation, which specialized in financing communications equipment. He also founded and was a director of Isotec Communications Incorporated, a designer, manufacturer and marketer of communications systems for small businesses throughout North America. In 1988, Isotec Communications acquired Executone Information Systems Inc., to become one of the nation's largest distributors of small- to medium-sized business telephone systems. Michael also founded and was chairman of Jarvis Communication Services Inc., a Richmond-based reseller of AT&T long distance services. Previously, Michael worked in various capacities for Jarvis Corporation, an independent telecommunications systems company that provided sales, installation and service. Jarvis Corporation was founded in 1961 in Richmond by Michael's father, Wilfred A. Jarvis. Michael joined Jarvis Corporation in 1970 as vice president of sales and later served as president from 1977 to 1980. In 1980, Michael became president of ROLM Atlantic after ROLM Corporation bought a portion of the Jarvis Corporation. In 1981, he returned to the Jarvis Corporation and served as chairman of the board until 1986. As chairman, he led the company to become the largest private supplier of telecommunication systems to businesses in the southeast, with branch offices from Maryland to Florida. Throughout his life, Michael was involved with many corporate and civic organizations in Richmond and most recently served as a member of the board of the Bank of Virginia, Preservation Virginia and the Bon Secours Richmond Health Care Foundation. Michael was preceded in death by his parents, Wilfred Anthony Jarvis and Kathryn Santos Jarvis, and his brother, Carroll Benedict Jarvis. He is survived by his wife, Kathryn Conner Jarvis; and their four children, Virginia Jarvis Atwood, Elizabeth Jarvis Scott, Maria Jarvis Darby and James Michael Jarvis Jr.; and two grandchildren, Christian Conner Atwood and Paul Callis Atwood Jr. He is also survived by three sons-in-law, Paul Callis Atwood, Hunter Carrington Scott and Charles Pinckney Darby IV; eight siblings, Robert Burton Jarvis, Wilfred Anthony Jarvis Jr., Paul Emmett Jarvis, Elizabeth Jarvis Pritchard, John Dennis Jarvis, Joyce Marie Jarvis, Kathryn Jarvis Nelson Anderson and Timothy Mark Jarvis; as well as 24 nieces and nephews. A service will be held Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church located at 4602 Cary Street Road, Richmond, Va. Memorial contributions may be made to the Bon Secours Richmond Health Care Foundation Community Hospice House at 5875 Bremo Road, Suite 305, Richmond, Va. 23226, the First Presbyterian Church Benevolence Fund at 4602 Cary Street Road, Richmond, Va. 23226, or to the University of North Carolina Men's Lacrosse program at 216 Finley Golf Course Road, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27517.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.