our history

"When you do the best you can, angels can do no better." That was a motto spoken on many-fitting occasions by the late W. Harry Maddox and one by which he lived daily. The growth of his business is testimonial to his philosophy--he did the best he could, and did well. Early in 1945, Harry and his good friend, Frank C. Bowen, Sr., of the Atlanta, Georgia Wilbert licensee, traveled to Forest Park to meet with Wilbert Haase and George Kloppenburg to discuss open Wilbert vault territories. They negotiated the Jacksonville area and returned to their native Atlanta. Soon, with franchise in hand, Harry left his position as Executive Secretary to the Chief of the Atlanta Police Department and moved his wife, Oveta, and eight-year old son, Billy, to Jacksonville. By November, Harry was making vaults in a rusty tin building, and in December, being sure they were cured 28 days, he sold his first vault. Then he sold his second. Then, well, every Wilbert pioneer knows the pattern and the feeling. Five years later he built a vault plant forty by one-hundred feet in size. Harry had arrived. He served as President of Florida Wilbert, Inc. for over 30 years until his death in 1977. His wife Oveta succeeded him as head of the organization and Billy - "Bill" - became General Manager. Oveta operated the business for 22 years until her death in 2000.



After growing up in the Jacksonville, Bill attended the University of Florida. While at the University, he completed two years of basic Army R.O.T.C. and then enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve in 1958. He graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism/ Public Relations. In 1963, he received a direct commission as Ensign and advanced through command assignments to the rank of Captain. He held experience indicators for readiness, public and international affairs, and vessels afloat. In April 1983, he earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration at Jacksonville University, where he later served on an advisory board to the Board of Trustees and Administration of the University. On July 1, 1989, he left active reserve status in the U.S. Coast Guard after 31 years of service. He retired fully on August 8, 1997. After his mother’s death in 2000, he became the President and Chief Executive Officer of Florida Wilbert, Inc. Bill served as President of the Wilbert Manufacturers Association in 1970. He was also the President and Director of the National Concrete Burial Vault Association from 1971-1972. In addition, he was a past President of the Florida Concrete Burial Vault Association as well as Florida Funeral Supply Salesmen’s Association. Bill has two children, William H. Maddox, III, Ph.D. and Elizabeth Maddox Harrington, Ph.D., two grandchildren, Liam and Laura Harrington, and is married to Dorothy Faye Thompson Maddox.