Noel Jackson, Ph.D

Dr. Noel Jackson, Ph.D, 86, of Kingston, Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology at URI, passed away peacefully at home with his loving family on Tuesday May 29th. He was the beloved husband of Valerie (Low) Jackson for 62 years. Born in Yorkshire, England, he was the son of the late Leonard Jackson and Jane (Stockill)Jackson. He grew up on a farm in a rural farming community and was the first in his family to attend university. He received his undergraduate degrees in agricultural botany, and hisdoctorate in agronomy from Kings College, University of Durham, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Throughout his life he proudly drew on his farming heritage, and it complemented and informed his research and his interactions in all aspects of the turf industry and his life. In 1958, Dr. Jackson began a seven year career as a turfgrass pathologist at the prestigious Sports Turf Research Institute in Bingley, Yorkshire, U.K. He was recruited in 1965 to join the faculty at URI, where he became a full Professor and taught countless students and conducted significant research for over 38 years. To his great delight, he was recently immortalized by the reclassification of Dollar Spot Disease, which resulted in a species of fungi named for him (Clarireedia jacksonii), in recognition of his life's work in turfgrass pathology. Dr. Jackson was internationally renowned for his expertise in cool season turf and as an expert diagnostician. He derived great satisfaction from visiting golf courses and interacting with golf course superintendents and others in the industry, to provide practical and effective disease control recommendations. He was known to many in the field as Dr. Turf. He worked as a consultant to the PGA, and in 1999 was honored with the USGA Green Section Award, in recognition of his outstanding service to golf. He was the first turfgrass pathologist to be so recognized and the first recipient born and educated outside of the U.S. Dr. Jackson was a natural teacher, with a passion, enthusiasm and curiosity for learning that inspired a generation of students to pursue careers in the turf industry, golf course management and academia. He was well known for his booming voice, hearty laugh, broad Yorkshire accent and his keen, sometimes blunt, sense of humor. He will be particularly remembered for the colorful and descriptive expressions and stories from his youth that he liked to share freely. In his retirement he continued to consult and do outreach work, happily receiving sorry- looking specimens at home for diagnosis. He and Valerie continued to travel extensively, making lasting connections worldwide. Over his lifetime, he created a beautiful garden, with the multiple stonewalls and walks on the property that are a lasting memorial to him and a constant reminder of RI s glacial history. He sacrificed two knees, a back and his golf game, levering those stones into place. His greatest joy however was spending time with his grandsons Sam and Alex, passing on to them his intellectual curiosity, compassion, and a huge library of raucous limericks and drinking songs. For 21 years he and Valerie spent each Christmas with them, their mum, Carrie, andson David on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, snorkeling, playing cards and dominoes and creating fantastic creatures from the driftwood they collected. He was the boys greatest supporter in all their academic and athletic achievements. Dr. Jackson relished all the time he spent with family, friends and colleagues; he had the extraordinary ability to forge new friendships wherever he went. He will be greatly missed by all who were lucky enough to know him. Besides his wife, he leaves a son, David Jackson of North Providence; a daughter, Carrie Mason of Wakefield; two grandsons, Sam and Alexander Mason; and two sisters, Mary Pickering and Ann Ramsden, both of Yorkshire, England. He was predeceased by a brother, David Jackson. Visiting hours are at the Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia Street, Wednesday June 6th from 4-7pm. A celebration of his life will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, and to inspire and encourage future turfgrass research, memorial donations may be made to: The Noel Jackson Turfgrass Pathology Endowment (E338) the URI Foundation, PO Box 1700, Kingston, RI 02881. Visitation: Avery-Storti Funeral Home 88 Columbia Street Wakefield, Rhode Island 02879 Wednesday, June 06, 2018 Email Details