Beloved physician had lifelong mission to serve, break down barriers

May 30, 1935 - November 25, 2023

When Edgar B. Jackson Jr. applied to medical school, he listed as his reason to becoming a physician, “eliminate the difference in healthcare between the poor and the rich”. Dr. Jackson dedicated his life to fulfilling that mission as he saved and changed lives and systems. By the time he died on Saturday, November 25, 2023, he had done much as humanly possible to achieve his mission, in the process earning the respect and affection of an entire community.

Edgar B Jackson Jr. was born May 30, 1935 in Bryson, Arkansas to Willie [Scott] and Edward Jackson. He was the second oldest of five children. He grew up imbued with his parents’ values of hard work, education, discipline, and faith in God. lives he told his story and the autobiography, A Way Up and A Way Out.

Jackson moved with his family to Cleveland at age 13. He graduated from Central Senior HS in 1952 and from Case Western Reserve University with a degree in chemistry. He served in the Korean War as a member of the medical corps from. After his honorable discharge, he returned to Cleveland to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. In 1966 the dream became a reality when Jackson earned his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University, graduating with honors. He was class president each year.

Jackson completed his internship in a newly formed, mixed practicum of pediatrics/internal medicine and his residency in internal medicine at Cleveland MetroHealth Medical Center, he was born certified and internal medicine and served as chief of medical residence at MetroHealth.

Starting in 1970 Jackson held several key senior and executive leadership roles and University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University for over 50 years. Among these positions were senior instructor and medicine, assistant professor, associate clinical professor and clinical professor of medicine. In addition, he was appointed the first Assistant Dean of Minority Student Affairs and served three years in that role. Dr. Jackson was appointed associate chief of staff and University Hospitals in 1991 and rose to co-chief of staff and senior vice president for clinical affairs before being appointed chief of staff in 1997. Upon his retirement from this position in 2000, he was appointed chief of staff emeritus and special assistant to the president and CEO in addition from 2004 to 2009. He served as senior advisor to the hospital’s new president.

During this time he was the administrative leader in charge of creating and implementing a strategy to ensure the hospital system had a multicultural group of administrators, recruited and retained a talented pool of minority faculty and built partnerships with minority- and female- own businesses in greater Cleveland. He was well known for his international recruitment of top minority doctors and surgeons to Northeast Ohio. While serving as associate chief of staff, Dr. Jackson led the formation of the David Satcher Clerkship a national model for recruiting minority medical students at University Hospitals and served as the program’s director.

In 2004 the Edgar B Jackson Jr. Endowed Chair was dedicated at University Hospitals Case Medical Center. It was the first endowed chair to honor an African American physician in Ohio and the only endowed position in the nation that promotes an ensure diversity among future medical leaders.

Among other distinctive honors and appointments, Dr. Jackson was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and was the second African American elected to the American Board of Internal Medicine’s board of governors in 1981, serving for six years. From 1987 until his retirement in 2005, he was part of the Cleveland Physicians Inc. group practice at the University Suburban Health Center. In any given year his practice had approximately 2500 students.

In 1997 Dr. Jackson and the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., then senior pastor of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, cofounded the University Hospitals Otis Moss Jr. Health Center. The innovative facility in Cleveland’s Fairfax neighborhood focuses on at risk individuals and offers care in a spiritually supportive environment, including family, medicine and general pediatric services, social services, patient navigators, and referrals to dietitians, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals

In 2006 he received the Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation Lewis Stokes Visionary Award. The honor was of particular significance because it was created in recognition of Louis Stokes, who served 30 years in the United States House of Representatives. Congressman Stokes was a close friend and longtime collaborator of Dr. Jackson in regionally and nationally advancing equal access to healthcare. The physician and legislator partnered to co-chair the community advisory board of the Northeast Ohio Medical University [NEOMED].

While serving special assistant to the president of Cleveland State University, Dr. Jackson was also the co-director of the NEOMED-CSU Partnership for Urban Health. He received the Northeast Ohio Media Group the star award by Ohio Cancer research and the Ohio Commission on Minority Health Crystal Stair award. He was a fellow of the American College of Physicians.

Dr. Jackson‘s work to improve patient access and expand higher education and professional opportunities for under-represented minorities is core to his legacy. He offered and co-authored over a dozen medical and community health articles. They ranged from renal hypertension, hospital screening, emergency room practices, physician influence on patient compliance, medical careers, and clinical practice to sickle cell anemia. For decades, he sought to change physicians’ attitudes about patients with sickle cell disease. He was the medical Director of the American Sickle Cell Anemia Association.

Dr. Jackson‘s community and public service included serving as the health director of the City of Shaker Heights and as the medical director of an early neighborhood based program called Movement for Improved Glenville Health Today. [MIGHT].

At the end of 2018, Dr. Jackson retired as special assistant to the president for health affairs at Cleveland State University. He continued to serve as chief of staff emeritus at University Hospitals and executive in residence at Cuyahoga Community College.

For over 30 years Dr. Jackson was a member of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church where he served as a deacon. Most recently he was a member of Antioch Baptist Church. He was a member of Sigma Pi Phi fraternity [Tau Boule]. The Dr. Edgar B Jackson Papers are archived at the Western Reserve Historical Society.

 Jackson was married to Thelma [Bennett] for 54 years until her passing in 2011. In 2013 Dr. Jackson married Leesa J. Patterson. Jackson was preceded in death by his parents, Willie and Edward, Jackson, and his sisters, Gwendolyn and Gabriel and Lou Verne.

He leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Leesa and their children David Patterson Jr. [Melisa] Devon Patterson and Laura [Jackson] Roufs [Peter]. Three sons, Gary, David, and Michael are deceased. Survivors also include two brothers, Dr. Andrew Jackson (Brenda) of Jeanerette LA., and Tyrone McGuinea.

The family will receive friends Friday, December 1, 6-8p at Antioch Baptist Church, 8869 Cedar Ave. [44106]. The Wake will be Saturday, December 2, 10:30a, followed by the Celebration of Life Service at 11:30a at Faith Fellowship Church, 10277 Valley View Rd., Macedonia [44056]. The service will be live streamed. Public viewing is Friday, 1-4p at the E. F. Boyd & Son Funeral Home, 2165 E. 89 St [44106].

Interment will be Monday, December 4 at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman [44279].

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This obituary was updated December 2, 2023.