MATT JACKSON, CLASS OF 1964, PASSES AWAY

 

Matt Jackson, Class of 1964, passed away Wednesday, March 17.

He had been hospitalized with COVID-19.

Matt was on the 1963 Monongah High football team that lost only to Bridgeport and Philip Barbour and tied Farmington 6-6 for a 7-2-1 record. Matt was a starter on defense as a tackle and wore #76.

Barbour High and the county where it is, Barbour County, were named for Philip Pendleton Barbour, who was a former Congress Speaker and Supreme Court Justice, the only person in history to do both. William and Mary College graduate Barbour was born in Gordonsville, Virginia into a Scottish family, moved to Kentucky where he made his fortune, then returned to Virginia and William and Mary. He was in Congress from 1814 till 1830. President Andrew Jackson appointed Barbour to the Supreme Court where he served from 1835 till his death in 1841. He owned 54 slaves.  

Matt grew up in Carolina during his Monongah High days. His teen years were spent running around with his 8th Street neighbors Leslie Black, Jr., Class of 1965, who lives in Fairmont and retired from Novella aluminum company in Fairmont after working there 37 years, and Leslie's brother, the late Ed Black, who passed away in 2012. 

Leslie also was friends with another Lion, Michael Irons of Detroit, also deceased. 

Matt's brothers were Roy, another Monongah High football player who later played for Fairmont State, and Jackie, who transferred from Monongah High to Fairmont West in his senior year.

Other siblings are Arthur, Julius, Gifford, Cleveland, Bernice, Diane, Helen and Mary.

Roy, Julius and Arthur predeceased Matt.

My thanks to Jay Holman, Class of 1971, and Leslie Black, Jr. for providing me nearly all of this information. If you want to contact Leslie his phone number is (681) 443-1257. Jay's number is (919) 724-9522. 

Dunn Family Funeral Home in Oswego, Illinois handled Matthews Jackson's arrangements.

Matt’s obituary:

Matthews Jackson, Sr., age 75, of Yorkville, IL died Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at Northwestern Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, IL. He was born October 10, 1946 in Mobile, AL.

He served his country honorably prior to retirement from the US Army, where he had attained the rank of 1st Sgt. He was employed as a CT Technician. He is survived by his wife Katrina A nee Hartman Jackson, a daughter Maureen Jackson, stepdaughter Tiffany Balchunas, three sons Matthews Jackson, Jr, Matthew D Foster, Damian Birch, several grandchildren, four sisters Helen, Beneetha Cora, Mari, a brother Jackie Jackson, also several nieces and nephews.

 Graveside service with military honor will take place at 11:00 AM on Thursday, March 25, 2021 at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, IL

Arrangements are entrusted to DUNN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME with CREMATORY, 1801 Douglas Road, Oswego, IL 60543. For additional information 630/554-3888 or www.dunnfamilyfuneralhome.com