James Nowlin Evans

James Nowlin Evans, 95 of Charleston, South Carolina, died Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at Roper Hospital. A Memorial Service will be held at Bishop Gadsden Chapel at 1:30pm on May 25, 2019. A reception will follow at Blackmer Hall at Bishop Gadsden after the service. A private interment will be held at St. Michaels Church after the reception.

Jimmy was born August 24,1923 in Elkmont, Alabama. His parents were Claudia Stepp Evans and Jesse Price Evans, Senior.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Eve Kinloch Evans, one sister, Ruth Evans Wright, three brothers, Thomas Price Evans, Joseph Tyler Evans, and Jesse Price Evans, Junior, a niece, Beverly Wright Nemanic, brother in law, Luther Edison Wright and sister in law, Betty Grisham Evans.

Survived by stepsons John Christian Snedeker (Laurie), Dwight Austin Snedeker and Charles Valentine Snedeker (Amanda), grandsons Marshall Austin Snedeker, Andrew Kinloch Snedeker, Samuel James Snedeker and granddaughter Eve Odette Snedeker. Niece, Susan Tyler Evans, nephews Donald Evans Wright, Jesse Price Evans, III, Clayton Webb Evans and Boyd Haney Evans and sister in law, Barbara Evans.

Devotion to art and architecture began early in Jimmy's life. As a teenager, he and his friend Buddy Gilbert drove around Alabama and Middle Tennessee looking at Antebellum houses, sketching and charming the owners into inviting them in for tea. This passion for art, architecture and design eventually led to a long career in Interior Design in Charleston. Jimmy had a gift for making houses look elegant, but not "decorated", and became known for his authentic Charleston style.

Jimmy graduated from Elkmont High School in 1941, attended Athens College for two years, then joined the United States Army, Infantry Medical Corps. Before leaving for France, he attended Princeton University for a year through the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). While in France, he was one of two in his unit chosen to attend Biarritz American University to study French language and art. During this period, Jimmy lived in the chateau of a Chilean woman, Madame Errazuriz, who was known in the art world as an influential tastemaker and muse. This was the turning point in his interest in design. It would become his life's work.

Upon returning home from the War, Jimmy enrolled at Vanderbilt University and graduated in 1948. After working in Athens, Alabama for a newspaper for a few years, he returned to France to study French Civilization at the Sorbonne in Paris.

Back in the USA, Jimmy went to Cincinnati, Ohio to work as an intern at a well-established interior design firm, then on to Atlanta and in 1955, Charleston. He went to work for the News and Courier as an art director before starting his own design firm in the late 1960's. He was a one man show until 1989 when he began working out of friend Margaret Donaldson's office. Full retirement came 27 years later at age 93.

In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to the Bishop Gadsden Resident Assistance Fund.