James Kenneth Jackson

James Kenneth Jackson (Jim), patriarch of the Jackson family, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at Mount Carmel East Hospital. He was the son of Maurice and Nelly (Lounds) Jackson and born in Cincinnati, Ohio. James is a graduate of Walnut Hills High School and the University of Cincinnati. He received his MBA, with a major in hospital administration, from Xavier University, in Cincinnati. James married the love of his life, Linda Kay Taylor. While they lived in Cincinnati, he worked at Bethesda and General Hospitals. The couple, along with their oldest son, Jimmy, eventually moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he was an administrator at Children’s Hospital, now known as Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Under Jim’s leadership the campus expanded with the opening of the Ronald McDonald House, the Education Center, the first Wexner Research building, the Ambulatory Surgery Center and the Outpatient Center. Additionally, off-campus and outreach services developed as the first Mobile Intensive Care Unit was designed to transport sick neonates and children to Columbus. James was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was an avid fisherman, often found with his buddies casting his rod in the local waters, always looking for the elusive big one. Sitting in “his chair” watching television sports was a favorite pastime, but when Linda joined him, he lovingly relinquished the remote to watch their favorite shows. Sometimes he could be found playing Solitaire at the computer or tracking the recruiting of his favored Ohio State Buckeyes. He was a great conversationalist, dispensing advice to his youngest son, Scott. Then, at any given moment, son Jimmy would arrive, and Big Jim had a new, eager audience. Jim attended many a Buckeye basketball game with his friends and always went to his favored eatery, the Golden Corral. An extended leisurely stroll through Dick’s Sporting Goods or Cabela’s made any good day better. Jim was well-known in the community as a leader. He was a proud member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Alpha Alpha Chapter (Double A) and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. James (Jim) is survived by his wife Linda, two sons, Jimmy and Scott, sister June, sister-in-law Rose, nephew Martin, daughter-in-law Renee, and grandchildren, Avery and Jaden.