Robert C. Jackson

Robert C. Jackson
Clemson, SC

Robert Cecil Jackson, 97, of 150 Downs Blvd. B-205, Clemson, SC and widower of Fan Minor Ames Jackson, died Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at the Clemson Downs Health Care Facility.

Born in Mississippi, he lived in Alexandria, VA for thirty years before moving to Naples, FL in 1976. He attended the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.

After serving as one of the organizers of the National Cotton Council of America, he later became Director of that organization's Washington office. In 1949 he was elected Chief Executive Office of American Textile Manufacturers Institute, with offices in Washington, New York and Charlotte, NC, a position he held until his retirement in 1976.
During this entire period he represented the textile industry in conferences, meetings and hearings involving other organizations, the Congress and agencies of government at every level. He served through the years on several advisory boards and committees named by various agencies of government. Also, he served as textile industry spokesman and representative at a variety of national and international conferences and negotiations in many countries of the world, beginning in 1949 and continuing until his retirement.

He was an industry advisor to the U.S. Government in negotiating the original bilateral cotton trade agreement with Japan in 1956, also at a series of international conferences in Geneva in 1961 and 1962 which produced the first international cotton trade agreement. He was a consultant to Ambassador-At-Large, David Kennedy and his team sent by President Nixon to Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan to negotiate agreements concerning man-made fiber and wool textiles.

In Naples, Mr. Jackson was a former director and officer of the Greater Naples Civic Association, an organizing Director of Moorings Park, Inc., an Elder in Moorings Presbyterian Church; a member of the men's Auxiliaryof Naples Community Hospital; a member, former director and president of Royal Poinciana Golf Club.

His honors included an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Clemson University; Textile Man of the Year Award from the New York City Board of Trade, Silver Medal of the Northern Textile Association for Leadership in Creating Unity in the Textile Industry; special awards from the National Knitwear Manufacturing Association, and the Who's Who in the World, 1960-79; the International Year Book and Stateman's Who's Who (London), 1962-76. In 1993 Textile World Magazine named him one of the 25 individuals who have contributed most to the American Textile Industry in the past twenty-five years. His most recent honor came in 2005 when he was inducted into the American Textile Hall of Fame in Lowell, MA.

In 1995 the Jacksons moved to Clemson, SC to be nearer their family, all of whom live in or near Greenville, SC. He served for 3 terms as President of the Clemson Area Retirement Center.

Surviving are one daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Hale Post of Greenville; two granddaughters, Mrs. Ames Post Little of Greenville, SC and Mrs. Spencer Shackleford Leavitt of Pendleton, SC; three great-grandchildren, William Clark Little IV, Robert Hale Little and Alden Hale Leavitt.

Memorial services will be 10:30 AM, Friday in the Chapel of Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, 108 Cross Creek Road, Central.

Memorials may be made to the Clemson Downs Foundation, 500 Downs Blvd., Clemson, SC 29631.

The family of Robert C. Jackson would like to thank the staff at the Clemson Downs Health Facility for their loving support and kindness.

Condolences may be made online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com.