JAMES BELMONT (JIM) WILLIS, JR. AIA (1937-2012)

Willis was born in Morehead City NC and graduated in 1955 from Morehead City HS. He served in the Army for a few years. A 1963 graduate of North Carolina State University with a BA in architecture, he went into business in Fayetteville with Mason Hicks as Hicks and Willis 1965-1967 before going on his own in Morehead City.

Following son Matthew, he moved to Laguna Beach CA around 2000, working for two firms in Delmar and Newport Beach then back on his own. Willis had an amazing ability to spontaneously draw in 3D, upside down. His drawings were put in storage in Havelock NC before moving to California. Willis did not recover them and they were thrown away.

1961 - The Barnett House, 700 West Third Street, Roanoke Rapids NC. Sold to Mary Barnett. Photo by Lee Hansley.

1962 - The Swindell House, 139 Charlie Lewis Lane, Beaufort NC. Sold in 2012 to Abeta Joy D. and Robert T. Norris, Jr.

Around 1969 - The David Freshwater Residence, 220 Roanoke Avenue, Morehead City NC. Likely destroyed/remodeled, with new version replacing, bottom photo.

Around 1969 - The Dr. Best House, near Sealevel NC. On steel pilings, with a flat roof. Burned down around 2008.

Around 1969 - The Dr. Kendall House, a series of buildings in the marsh, near Sealevel NC. Status unknown.

Around 1969 - The Lucy Elmendorf Residence, 113 Pinewood Circle, Pine Knoll Shores, Atlantic Beach NC. Sold in 1987 to June M. Glover. Sold in 1993 to Murrill Norton Howe, Jr.

1969 - The Keith C. and Alice Jean Noble House, 109 Pinewood Circle, Pine Knoll Shores, Atlantic Beach NC. Deeded in 2005 to Jean N. Machea, Joanne N. Crawford, and Bruce M. McBride. Available for rent.

1970 - The John R. Kardell House, 134 Seashore Drive, Sea Level NC. Sold in 1985 to Anise Daugherty. Sold in 2020 to Kay Jordan.

1970 - The James B. and Barbara H. Willis House, 5011 Bogue Avenue, Morehead City NC. Features a pyramid roof in the middle. Sold in 1976 to Jerald J. and Bette Jo Pierce. Sold in 1980 to Rose S. and Paul K. Hamlin, Jr. A garage and patio were added in 2006.

1970s - The Coral Bay Condominiums East, Atlantic Beach NC. These were the first condos at Atlantic Beach. Jim McGrew, project architect.

1972 - The Harry and Donna T. Gazelle House, 115 Pinewood Circle, Pine Knoll Shores, Atlantic Beach NC. Sold in 1997 to John F. and Marian L. Kutzer.

Around 1972 - The Tar Landing Condos, Atlantic Beach NC. Designed with landscape architect Dick Bell.

1973 - The Sylvester and Elizabeth Ann Fleming Residence, 159 Loblolly Drive, Pine Knoll Shores NC. Project architect, Jim McGrew. Renovated in 1987.

1972 - The Jesse Lee (Tony) Seamon, Jr., House, 4706 San Juan Circle, Morehead City NC. Project architect, Jim McGrew. Sold in 2004 to Roy L. and Judy A. Howell.

1973 - The Seal House, 202 Oakleaf Drive, Pine Knoll Shores NC. As of 2016 owned by Richard C. Seale, Trustee.

1974 - The Arthur E. and Constance M. Browne House, 201 Salter Path Road, Pine Knoll Shores NC. Sold in 1987 to Ashley Thomas and Annette E. Joyner. Sold in 1990 to Thomas N. Hobbs. Sold in 1996 to James N. and Diane E. Sarantos and James N. Sarant, Jr. Sold in 2001 to Gregory M. and Janet L. Lattimer. Sold in 2003 to Ronn H. Mayer. Sold in 2005 to Paul Hetzel.

1974 - The J. Troy and Sally Elmore Smith House, 3602 Country Club Road, Trent Woods, New Bern NC. Edgar Carr was the project architect. Sold in 1988 to John D. and Susan H. Lasater. Sold in 2013 to Gary L. and Melissa H. Aldridge.

Around 1975 - The Carmichael House and Boathouse, 4907 Trent Woods Drive, Trent Woods NC. Sold in 2007 to author Nicholas Sparks. Destroyed, and a new house built in 2008.

1975 - The Thomas (Tommy) A. Karam House, 5001 Trent Woods Drive, Trent Woods NC. Deeded in 2004 to John R. Karam and Karol Hopkins. Sold in 2015 to Loblolly Greens, LLC. Sold in 2017 to John and Stephanie Ann Zannis. Destroyed in 2017.

1976 - The Joe Beam House, 5233 Webb Court, Morehead City NC.

1976 - The Jerome Moore and Heber Hampton Newsome, Jr., House, 199 Salter Path Road, Pine Knoll Shores NC. Deeded in 2017 to H. Hampton Newsome, III, Janie N. Corina, and Britt B. Newsome.

Around 1977 - The Broad Creek Middle School, Hwy 24, near Swansboro NC. Other schools included Morehead Middle School, Newport Elementary School, Sherwood Park Elementary School, the Ocracoke School.

Around 1978 - Charlie Bennett's 8.5 Marina Village, sound side of Atlantic Beach NC. Designed with Dick Bell and architect Ligon Flynn. Built with modular mobile homes.

1978 - The Tilly House, 4500 Gloucester Drive, Trent Woods, NC.

1985 - The Terrence L. and Helen C. Goodman House, 558 Seashore Drive, Atlantic NC. Sold in 1988 to Peter T. and Suzanne E. Osburn. Sold in 1999 to Charles L. Snipes, III.

1985 - The Charlotte M. and George M. Oliver, Jr., House, 5206 Holly Court, Morehead City NC. Deeded in 2004 to Charlotte Mason Oliver. Sold in 2007 to Jeffery A. Passot. Sold later in 2007 to Kenneth R. and Julie Ash. Sold in 2016 to The Kinvestment Group, Inc. Has been renovated.

1985 - The Virginia White Little House, 1408 Patterson Street, Morehead City NC. Sold in 2000 to K&V Little, LLC. Sold in 2013 to Daniel W. and Molly W. Russell. Destroyed in 2014. New house built in 2015, bottom photo.

1986 - The Lockwood Philips house, 221 Lands End Road, Morehead City NC.

1986 - The Fenner S. Corbett House, 1211 Shackleford Street, Morehead City NC. Sold in 2007 to Edythe M. Poyner.

1987 - The Jan Willis Renovation, 4919 Holly Lane, Morehead City NC. Original house built in 1940. Sold in 1996 to Alice J. and George G. Alexander. Sold in 2016 to Lori and Robert C. Sanborn III.

1987 - The George J. Boslet House, 319 Channel Drive, Emerald Isle NC. Deeded in 2003 to Boslet heirs. Sold in 2004 to Annita and Henry M. Best, III.

1991 - The Carolyn S. and Franklin P. Guthrie, Jr., House, 599 Forest Dunes Drive, Pine Knoll Shores NC. Sold in 2007 to Gwynne and Daniel R. Taylor, Jr.

1995 - The Tommy Oglesby House, 910 Country Club Lane, Morehead City NC.

1997 - The Charles B. and Margaret D. Tulevech House, 123 Core Drive West, Morehead City NC. Sold in 2013 to Frank H. and Frances D. Gainey. Addition built in 2016.

1998 - The Larry M. and Lynette M. Land House, 700 Lands Pointe Road, Morehead City NC.

1998 - The Walter R. and Patsy Perkins House, 915 Ocean Ridge Drive, Atlantic Beach NC. Available for rent.

2001 - The Alyn R. and Connie E. Holt House, 1538 Front Street, Beaufort NC.

2008 - The Geer House, 3213 Evans Street, Morehead City NC.

Year unknown - The David Byrd Residence, Cedar Island NC.

Year unknown - The Harold Talton Party House, New Bern NC. Airport side of Neuse River. Jim Dugan worked on the project.

Year unknown - The Gib Arthur Party House, Morehead City NC.

Sources include: Son Pug Willis; Jim Dugan; Edgar Carr; son Matthew Willis; Dick Bell.