The 47-year-old director of Jackson County, Alabama’s emergency management agency died suddenly Monday night, leaving folks across the community in shock.
“Sadly, we have experienced a tragedy,” Jackson County EMA officials state in a post on social media. “Our Director, Felix Jackson, suffered a medical emergency last night and passed away at around 10:00 p.m. We are devastated.”
Jackson assumed the post of EMA director in September 2017 when then-director Mike Ashburn was appointed by Gov. Kay Ivey to the county commission chairman’s seat. Ashburn’s move happened after the resignation of former chairman Matthew Hodges. At that time, Jackson was serving as deputy director of the county’s EMA.
“It was a bolt out of the blue,” said Jackson County EMA deputy director Paul Smith, who remarked the agency’s late leader is “irreplaceable.”
Smith worked with Jackson at the emergency management agency for the past two years but knew him for 30 years, he said Wednesday.
“He has the most unselfish heart of anyone I’ve ever met, and I’m 53 years old,” Smith said.
Jackson County Sheriff Chuck Phillips said Jackson, who had served as a reserve deputy for the department, “was a friend to many and a huge supporter of our Sheriffs Office,” in a post on his Facebook page.
“In honor of Felix, today we vow to be a little kinder, love a little harder, and lift up those in need,” Phillips said, “To have a smile when we enter the room and a hug when we leave.”
EMA officials in neighboring Madison County also remarked on Jackson’s passing.
“Felix was a wonderful person and Director of EMA,” a post on the Huntsville-Madison County Emergency Management Agency’s Facebook page reads. “He never met a stranger and would go out of his way to help someone in need.
Jackson kept his home county close to his heart and was known for his selflessness, according to Smith.
“I’ve heard him say multiple times that ‘I feel personally responsible for the safety of all 53,000 people who live in this county,” Smith said. “If I’ve heard him say it once, I’ve heard him say it 1,000 times.”
Jackson is a native of the county of the same name.
“He’s lived in Jackson County his entire life except for the couple of years he was at the University of Alabama,” Smith said. Jackson was recruited out of high school to play football for the Crimson Tide, Smith said, but a knee injury in his freshman year cut those plans short, Smith said. He would return to Jackson County to live.
Jackson went to work for the county EMA office as a deputy director seven years ago, officials said, and went on to become its leader.
“He said many times, ‘I’m not an important person; I have an important job,'” said Smith, who also called him “the best boss I ever had.”
No discussions have been had regarding the director’s post, officials said. Current staff will keep things running for now.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.