William Ronald Jackson
September 24, 1944 – April 22, 2022
William Ronald Jackson, better known as Ron, went home to his Lord on April 22, 2022. Ron was born on September 24, 1944 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the son of Ray and Alice Jewell Jackson.
As a young boy Ron loved to roam the fields and fish the lakes on his family’s farm in Cleveland. As he grew older he began to roam farther from home while riding his horse, Thunder, with friends over the areas of Prospect and Black Fox in Bradley County. This part of town is now covered with subdivisions and heavily traveled roads, such as Keith Street and I-75.
Ron graduated from Arnold Elementary School in Cleveland and McCallie School in Chattanooga. He received his BBA from Goizueta Business School at Emory University where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order. After college he served his country in the Air National Guard.
Ron’s legacy is with his family business, Jackson Furniture Industries. In 1943 after the Great Depression his parents moved to Cleveland when they purchased Cleveland Chair Company. Starting in 1961 Ron worked summers in the family-owned business, learning to make chairs and to “spit tacks”, a now lost art in furniture manufacturing. In 1966, he started to work full time in the office, and in 1975 he was named president of Jackson Manufacturing Company and Cleveland Chair Company. Ron eventually became CEO when the companies merged into Jackson Furniture Industries. He was instrumental in the development of the Pow’r Lounger for the company. Ron’s two main passions throughout his career were to make quality mid-priced furniture and create meaningful jobs for employees. He felt a great deal of responsibility for the well-being and financial security of the Jackson Furniture team. In 2012, Ron Jackson received his pin for 50 years of service to Jackson Furniture Industries; he continued to enjoy work for many more years.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, April 29, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Broad Street United Methodist Church with Pastor Micah Nicolaus officiating; a reception will follow the service. A private interment will be held at Hilcrest Cemetery. A White Dove Release Ceremony and the Playing of Bagpipes will conclude the service.
We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Jackson family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com
For the complete obituary, click here.
