Jamie Verlin Wilcox was born March 7, 1972, in Chillicothe, Missouri. He passed away on July 31, 2016, in Naples, Florida. Survivors include his parents, John and Marylyn Wilcox; sisters, Johnna and Jerri Wilcox; niece, Tessa Keeney, her father, Jeff Keeney; and cousins, Kevin Haynes and Heidi Pieroni.
Jamie grew up in Tarkio, Missouri, where he made many lifelong friends. He excelled in sports, achieving the award of Most Valuable Senior Athlete in 1990. After graduating from Tarkio High School, he attended the University of Missouri in Columbia and William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. While attending William Jewell College, Jamie played men’s basketball and assisted coaching the men’s basketball team. He then pursued a Master’s Degree in Athletic Administration from Central Missouri University in Warrensburg, Missouri. Upon completion of his education, Jamie was employed by the Kansas City Royals Organization and was an Assistant Director of Administration of Athletic Endeavors at Oklahoma University and later managed all athletic events at the University of Wisconsin. Jamie was a Second Lieutenant in the Army Reserves.
Ultimately, Jamie chose to pursue his greatest passion – caring for animals, specifically rehabilitating abused dogs. He was employed by the Florida Gulf Coast Humane Society, where his fellow co-workers spoke of his ability to save dogs’ lives. Throughout his life, Jamie provided compassionate care for many dogs, most recently he adopted Caerus, a German Shepherd mix with whom he spent the end of his days.
Jamie’s passing was a complication of CTE, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, and brain injuries secondary to multiple concussions. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Florida Gulf Coast Humane Society, 2010 Arcadia St., Fort Myers, FL 33916 or visit www.gulfcoasthumanesociety.org. Private services will be held at a later date.