Leon County Commissioner and Fort Braden School Principal Jimbo Jackson has died
Jimbo Jackson, who served 30 years as a teacher and principal at Fort Braden School and nearly six years as a Leon County commissioner, died Saturday morning after suffering complications from long-term COVID.
He was 55.
“We're just devastated," said Leon County Administrator Vince Long. "Jimbo really made everything and everybody better. And we're just saddened and heartbroken — and more than anything else, we're just devastated for his family."
Jackson, who is survived by his wife, Beth, two daughters and two stepsons, joined the staff at Fort Braden School in 1992. He worked a multitude of jobs there over the years, from teacher's aide and classroom instructor to dean of students. He became principal in 2008.
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In 2016, he won a seat on the County Commission that had been held by the late Jane Sauls.
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"He just had amazing empathy," Long said. "And I think that came from his many years of experience being a principal at a Title I school. He saw everything first-hand, the struggles that people deal with. And he had the very unique perspective to see it play out generationally, because he taught and was principal for kids and their parents and their uncles and their aunts."
Jimbo Jackson battled COVID-19 since summer 2020
Jackson was diagnosed with COVID-19 in the summer of 2020 and suffered long-term health complications from the disease.
He brought the steady hand of an educator into his role as a county commissioner. Stoically soft-spoken, he often became the voice of reason in tense discussions and had a knack for ending them by bringing motions to the table.
Jackson often said that he was guided by what he felt was best for his district, a rural chunk of southwest Leon County often overlooked in economic development projects.
In his first election, he placed first in an eight-person primary before winning the general election with nearly two-thirds of the vote. He ran without opposition in 2020.
Leon County Commission Chairman Bill Proctor called Jackson "a colleague, a treasured educator, friend and true leader" in a news release.
"Throughout his tenure on this commission, as he did his entire life, Jimbo tirelessly fought for this community and especially his district," Proctor said. "Our County family shares the immense loss of such a talented person with Leon County Schools and everyone at Fort Braden School. Our hearts go out to all those who knew Jimbo so well, and especially the Jackson family during this difficult time."
Tallahassee flags will fly at half-staff for Jimbo Jackson
Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey ordered flags at City Hall to fly at half-staff for 10 days in Jackson's honor. He said he had a chance to visit with him for about an hour over the past week and that he was heartbroken over the loss.
“I will cherish that time,” Dailey said. “Jimbo was a true friend of mine. Wonderful gentleman. Incredible statesman. Awesome principal. The true definition of a family man. This community lost a true leader.”
Jimbo Jackson in his own words:
In 2014, Jackson was selected as the Tallahassee Democrat’s Person of the Year because of his devotion to education, especially in his district, and his belief that it can lift an entire community.
“Mr. Jackson also is an example for young boys and girls who reside in this rural yet developing section of our county,” the editorial board wrote at the time.
The board pointed to the life-long educator's own words as proof.
“You need to make meaningful connections and develop relationships and nurture those relationships,” he told the Democrat in 2014. “You need to understand where people are coming from and value them and show them you value them.”
His death leaves a vacancy in the office that will be filled temporarily by Gov. Ron DeSantis, said Deputy Supervisor of Elections Chris Moore. An election will be held this year, with the winner serving the rest of the two-year term.
If only two candidates qualify, the race will be settled in the November general election. If three or more candidates qualify, there will be an August primary. If no one gets a majority of votes in the primary, the top two vote-getters will advance to the general election.
'His legacy will live on'
News of Jackson's death stunned the community, from elected officials to his colleagues at Fort Braden, a pre-K through 8 school that dates back to 1847.
Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna said he was “heartbroken,” at the loss of his friend of 30 years. Hanna was at Rickards High School’s graduation ceremony Saturday morning when his phone began to ring. He had an inkling the news was not good.
He rushed to be with Jackson’s family, but recalled the long relationship the two had together.
Hanna said in the last few weeks, Jackson had been working on a retirement plan with the Fort Braden community he loved in the forefront of his mind. They spoke Friday about those plans.
“He was deeply concerned about Fort Braden and wanted to ensure that, if something did happen, that I would take care of the community and I gave him that assurance,” Hanna said.
“Jimbo has been fighting illness for the last several years and I think his body couldn’t take it anymore,” Hanna said. “But his legacy will live on and we’ll be better. I know I have been a better school leader because of the likes of Jimbo Jackson and his influence.”
Jackson’s daughters went to Leon High School while Hanna was there as an administrator. Although they attended different schools, the two men knew each other as teenagers. They worked in the local school system for the better part of 30 years where their friendship grew and they developed a mutual respect.
He also noted Jackson’s deep devotion to his own family and how his loss puts the world in perspective.
“He cherished his daughters and the ground they walked on. He lived through his girls and his grandchildren,” Hanna said. “It shows you how precious life is. We all need to hug each other a little tighter and make sure we're tied to each other and treat each other with dignity and respect and love.”
He continued: “We are all just heartbroken because we lost one of the good guys.”
Jackson’s long career in education was an inspiration for others who also looked to shape the future of the county’s children. First-term County Commissioner Brian Welch said he looks up to Jackson as a “big brother,” and a “role model.”
Welch, who is also a teacher at Chiles High School, said was “shocked and devastated” over the news of his death.
The two are unique in the sense that they both represent single districts and both are long-time educators. Their worlds are tight-knit and the impact someone like Jackson can have in a such a close community as Fort Braden, is immense.
“Jimbo is someone I leaned on and looked to on how to conduct myself. He and I had a lot of respect for each other,” Welch said.
He said Jackson was a great example, both in the halls of the County Commission and at school, of putting your nose to the grindstone to do the work.
“Some teachers are unsung and for all the things we know Jimbo accomplished, there’s a million things we don’t know that Jimbo accomplished,” Welch said. “There’s probably a million people he has touched and helped in his life.”
Condolences poured in over social media.
"I loved working with him over the years," state Rep. Alison Tant, D-Tallahassee, said on Twitter. "I'm heartsick."
Check back with Tallahassee.com for more on this story.
Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Jimbo Jackson dies: Florida commissioner, principal had long COVID
