Dr. Joseph A. Jackson, III, M.D. died May 5, 2014, in Jacksonville, Fla., of complications from a cerebral hemorrhage, which had occurred two days earlier.
Dr. Jackson was born June 19, 1940, in Pittsburgh, Pa, the first of two children of Mary Dougherty Jackson and Joseph A. Jackson Jr. In 1945 the family moved to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where Dr. Jackson attended East Side Elementary School and Naval Air Junior H.S. In 1958 he graduated from Fort Lauderdale H.S. (tenth in a class of 830), where he was president of the National Honor Society, treasurer of his Junior and Senior classes, secretary of the Key Club, attended Boys State, and was named Broward County Teenager of the Year by the local newspaper.
From 1958-62 Dr. Jackson attended Davidson College, where he was a Dana Scholar, a member and officer of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and several honorary societies, and served on the editorial board of the humor and literary magazine. Dr. Jackson earned his M.D. from the University of Florida College of Medicine in 1966. After an internship at Charlotte Memorial Hospital, Dr. Jackson served as a Flight Surgeon in the U.S. Air Force. He then entered residency training in Ophthalmology at Bowman Gray-Wake Forest School of Medicine, where he served as Chief Resident, 1972-73.
Dr. Jackson built a successful private practice in Opthalmology in Salisbury, N.C. from 1973 until his retirement in 2001. Throughout this time Dr. Jackson was also on the medical staff of Rowan Regional Medical Center, where he served terms as secretary and later president of the Medical Staff. He also served for many years as a clinical instructor in Ophthalmology at Wake Forest School of Medicine.
In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Jackson was active in his church and community. At First Presbyterian Church in Salisbury he served as an Elder, taught Sunday School, chaired the Stewardship Committee, and sang for many years in the choir. He served four terms on the Board of the Salisbury-Rowan Symphony Society. He was President of the Rowan County AIDS Task Force, and a board member of the Literacy Council.
After his retirement in 2001, Dr. Jackson moved to Rockport. Soon after, he also bought a house in Amelia Island, Fla., where he lived during the winter months. He was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Camden, and St. Peters Episcopal Church, Amelia Island, Fla. He served on the Board of the Mid-Coast Habitat for Humanity in Maine, and participated in mission work with his church in Florida.
Dr. Jackson is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years, Barbara Greene Jackson, and by four children Dr. Joseph A. Jackson IV, and Dr. Kit Yue Jackson Wong of Somerville, Mass., and Greg and Laura Jackson Warren of Amelia Island, Fla. He has five grandchildren: Alex, Leighton, and Aidan Warren; Maxwell and Sophie Mei Jackson. Close family members include: John, Mary, and Domilie Greene of Salisbury; Andrew Greene and Katie Greene Senko; and Pamela and Jim McLune of New York City.
In words he himself wrote for this occasion, Dr. Jackson “loved his dear wife, children, grandchildren, and his many friends all over the world. He also loved the practice of medicine, travel, New York City, Broadway, baseball, playing the piano for Barb, and all music — from from Mendelssohn to Meatloaf. He loved the cabin on Lake Norman, the condo at Myrtle Beach, and summers in Maine. He loved working out at the YMCA, and was an expert in Trivia and Pop Culture. He remembers fondly all the dogs and the cat. He positively loved the trip to Russia. His favorite TV show of all time was ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ and favorite books were ‘The World According to Garp’ and ‘A Confederacy of Dunces.’ See you around next trip!”
A memorial service will be held July 23, at 4 p.m. at St. Thomas Church in Camden, followed immediately by a Celebration of Life at the Rockport Boat Club. Memorial donations may be made to St. Thomas Church or to the Rockport Boat Club Sailing Program.