Nathaniel Garfield “Nat” Jackson, 59, a prominent local businessman, a resident of 135 South Randolph Ave., Elkins, departed this life at 7:05 p.m. Monday, March 11, 2002, at the Davis Memorial Hospital emergency room. He had been in his usual health and death was attributed to cardiac arrest.
He was born Sept. 14, 1942, at Elkins, a son of the late William Edgar Jackson and Carrie Barry Jackson.
He had been married to the former Frances Lewis, who survives at Hilltop, and remained his friend until his death.
Also surviving are one son, John Will Jackson, Elkins; four sisters, Willene C. Smith, Forestville, Md., Eunice B. Cobb, Arlington, Va., Mary L. Jackson Holley, Denver, Colo., and Edna McClure, Calhoun, Ga.; and one granddaughter, Jamecia Jackson.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, William Edgar Jackson Jr. and Theodore Jackson; three sisters, Alyce M. Javies, Naomi Flagg and Gladys Jackson.
He attended the schools of Randolph County. He was a graduate of Elkins High School with the Class of 1960, where he lettered in several sports and was All-state in football and track. He also performed with “The Shades” a well-known local band at that time and was an Eagle Scout.
He was a graduate of Purdue University with the Class of 1964, where he was an outstanding football player. After playing professional football with the Houston Oilers, he attended Emory University, where he graduated with a master’s degree in kinesiology in 1970. Upon returning to Elkins, he taught in the Randolph County Schools at Pickens. Until 1983, he was the financial aid director at Alderson-broaddus College and West Virginia Wesleyan College. During that time he was also the assistant dean of students, taught kinesiology and was the blacks student’s advisor and wrestling coach.
He was president of the Eastern Regional Association of Financial Aid Officer’s and also taught psychology as adjunct faculty at Davis & Elkins College. In 1989, he purchased Elkins Fordland, which he operated as majority owner until his death.
He was a lifelong member of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Elkins and served on the board of trustees and was treasurer of the church for many years.
From early childhood he joined the Elkins YMCA and was later employed at the YMCA. He served two terms as president of the YMCA board of director’s and at the time of his death was its longest serving board member. He was on the board of director’s of the Ohio/west Virginia YMCA, (Camp Horseshoe), and was a very active member of the YMCA Endowment Committee. He was honored as YMCA Volunteer of the Year in 1990. He was a member and past president of the Elkins Rotary Club and was currently serving as assistant district governor of Rotary. In 1980, Gov. Rockefeller appointed him to the West Virginia Human Rights Commission, which he served as its chairman. He also served as a member of the Region VII Council and on the District Advisory Council for the West Virginia Small Business Administration. He was a member of the board of directors of the Davis-stewart Boys Home in Lewisburg, the Advisory Council of the Elkins Mountain School, the former Mount Zion Lodge No. 14, F & AM of Elkins, the Committee on Aging for Randolph County for 31 years and the board of directors of the Elkins Regional Convalescent Center.
He was a member of the Oratorio Society at Davis & Elkins College, sang with various local choirs and was a member of the Cultural Awareness and Enrichment Group of Elkins.
Friends will be received at Lohr-barb-vance Funeral Home from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 pm. Friday. On Saturday, Mr. Jackson will be moved to First United Methodist Church, where final rites will be conducted at 10 a.m. The Rev. Dr. Basil A. Hensley and the Rev. Terry Cannon will officiate and interment will follow at Mountain State Memorial Gardens at Gilman. The family suggests that expressions of sympathy be in the form of contributions to the Elkins YMCA, 400 Davis Ave., Elkins, W.Va. 26241 or to Shiloh Baptist Church, PO Box 802, Elkins, W.Va. 26241 or Youth Health Service, 971 Harrison Ave., Elkins, W.Va. 26241.
