In Memoriam: Dr. John Fenwick Jackson

Dr. John Fenwick Jackson, former chair of preventive medicine at UMMC, died March 21. He was 91.

A native of Kosciusko, Jackson was valedictorian of the Kosciusko High School Class of 1946 and received his B.A. in chemistry cum laude from the University of Mississippi. He earned his M.D. at the Tulane University School of Medicine and completed an internship at Philadelphia General Hospital in Pennsylvania.

Jackson practiced general medicine in Minter City and served as a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps at Fort Lewis, Washington. He received his internal medicine residency training at UMMC.

While serving on the Tulane University School of Medicine faculty in New Orleans, Jackson traveled to Sweden and participated in the Institute for Medical Genetics at the University of Uppsala. He joined the UMMC faculty and served in the Department of Preventive Medicine and the Department of Medicine for 28 years, including a sabbatical leave of service in the Population Genetics Laboratory at the University of Hawaii. He was named chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine in 1981 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1992.

A founding fellow of the American College of Medical Genetics, Dr. Jackson authored or co-authored more than 100 scientific publications. He was a member of several national honorary societies, including Alpha Epsilon Delta, Beta Beta Beta, Phi Eta Sigma, Pi Kappa Pi and Alpha Omega Alpha. A Laureate of the Mississippi chapter of the American College of Physicians, he was inducted into the University of Mississippi Medical alumni chapter Hall of Fame in 2015. He was awarded Mastership in the American College of Physicians in 2017 and received the UMMC Inspiration Award at The Pillars Recognition of Service and Inclusive Excellence in 2019.

No visitation or service is scheduled due to current health concerns. Memorials may be sent to the Rowland Medical Library, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216.