James ("Jim" or "Jimmy") John Wilkinson, 53, passed away on November 14, 2021, in his home in Smyrna, Tennessee. He was born on August 21, 1968, in Morris, Illinois, to John Wilkinson and Paula Studyvin. He graduated from Richard King High School, in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1986. Then, he proudly joined the US Navy to serve his country. After the Navy, Jim spent 30 years applying his creative vision and skillful craftsmanship as a tile and remodeling professional. In his late 40's, he decided to pursue a college degree in Historical Preservation, at Middle Tennessee State University, due to his profound passion for history and historical sites.

He resided in Smyrna, Tennessee, for 15 years. He loved having fun with family and friends, inventing funny nicknames and making people laugh. He could always be counted on for thoughtful advice and was eager to help. His friends and family would describe him as loving, kind, smart, witty, comical, generous and a protector of those he loved. His passions included cooking and sharing his culinary creations, rescuing animals, kayaking, travelling, exploring history and visiting historical sites, singing karaoke, listening to a wide variety of music, and riding his motorcycle.

He is survived by his wife, Heather; as well as his three children, Zane, Stephen and Karen; his mother, Paula Studyvin of LaVergne, Tennessee; his brother, Jeff Wilkinson (and his wife Connie) of Shell Beach, California; aunts, an uncle and many nieces, nephews and cousins; two dogs and two cats; and numerous friends who he considered as an extended family of brothers and sisters.

A memorial service will be held at Woodfin Funeral Chapel, 203 N. Lowry Street in Smyrna, TN on Saturday, November 20, 2021 at 3:00pm, with visitation from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Jim Wilkinson at the Lifehouse Animal Refuge and Rehabilitation: Mail to 1107 Secretariat Dr, Mt Juliet, TN 37122, or, Paypal to lifehouseanimalrescue@gmail.com, or, Venmo to Lifehouse Animal Rescue@Lifehouse-AnimalRescue (last 4 digits of phone number is 5996) – Website: www.lifehouse.petfinder.com .