Kenneth E Jackson Sr.

Kenneth Edwin Jackson was born on November 16, 1927 to Edd and Ollie Jackson in Carthage, Mississippi. He grew up on St. Paul Street in Carthage and with his sister, Bettye Kathryn Jackson, and his brother, Billy Max Prisock. Ken attended school in Carthage and enjoyed his growing up years making lifelong friends and treasuring his time with his Jackson and Phillips relatives in the Renfroe and Walnut Grove communities in Leake County.

Ken began a lifetime of adventures before high school graduation by joining the Merchant Marines briefly but did return to Carthage High School to play basketball and enjoy his Senior Year. His Daddy owned the barber shop on the Square in Carthage and later he also bought the Pool Hall where Ken earned one of his first nicknames, “Slick.” He then attended Holmes Junior College where he in his own words “successfully stretched two years into three.” He later attended USM and joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Italy. After living for a brief time in McComb, Mississippi, Ken moved to Jackson.

Ken began his interesting and successful working life by selling vacuum cleaners door to door before going to work for Sears Roebuck selling appliances when Sears was a bustling department store on North State Street. In 1966 he was the first salesman ever at Sears to reach $200,000 in one year. During these years Ken bought a Boarding House on North Street from his mother-in-law, Mrs. Betty Tullos, who owned and operated the White House. Ken appreciated this period in his life believing what he learned about business from Mrs. Tullos and his experience at Sears were foundational in his business life as it evolved.

Ken left Sears for a year and owned and operated a grocery store in Hollandale before deciding to return to Sears. In 1971 he and his partner opened the Western Sizzlin Steakhouse on Highway 80 in Jackson beginning his career in the restaurant business. For the next decade they continued to open new Western Sizzlin restaurants in Jackson, Meridian and Amarillo, Texas. Ken and his partner decided it best to operate independently and Ken opened two more steakhouses in Austin, Texas. Ken especially enjoyed the Western Sizzlin location on I-55 North where he made many lasting friendships.

Ken purchased the first Cock of the Walk franchise from the original owners in Natchez and had the vision and imagination to locate it at the Reservoir in 1980 before the Reservoir was commercially developed. He opened the Cock of the Walk in Nashville in 1984 and over the next decade he opened Cock of the Walk restaurants in Birmingham, Tallahassee, and Austin. He opened 3 additional restaurants at the Reservoir and added the Cock of the Walk at Pocahontas in 2010.

In addition to the restaurant business, Ken was involved in a wide range of interests. Ken’s sense of adventure led him to travel to 22 countries and he especially enjoyed traveling by motorhome crossing into 49 states and Canada at least twice. He was the Past President of the Mississippi Restaurant Association and a Lifetime Member of the National Miniature Horse Association.

Ken was a loyal fan of the Mississippi State Bulldogs and enjoyed rolling with the Bulldogs to away games and cheering them on in Starkville proudly wearing his Maroon and White. He enjoyed all sports and was an avid fan of Basketball particularly MSU Basketball.

In his later years he closed or sold all of his restaurants except the locations at the Cock of the Walk at the Reservoir, Nashville and Pocahontas. Never quite grasping the concept of retirement, he continued to actively participate in the operation of these restaurants and was disappointed that at 87 he did not have enough time left to open one more restaurant. As much as Ken loved the restaurant business he loved the people he met and the many friendships he made through the years the most. He considered himself richly blessed by the support of his loyal employees and loyal patrons. Many of his restaurant employees worked for Ken for more than 25 years. Unknown by many were the countless ways Ken provided help and assistance in times of need.

To his family his accomplishments were remarkable but to us he was just Dad, Ken, Granddad, Uncle Ken, KJ, Daddy Rabbit, and Slick. He loved his family and claimed us all whether we were born-in, adopted, or chosen. And, we have loved him and offer gratitude for his guidance and love through the years. Our entire family wishes to thank Alice Brown for taking care of him and us to his journey’s end. We also thank the remarkable nurses and staff at Homecare Hospice for the special care and love you have provided to us all. He felt blessed to receive such quality of care from his doctors and the staff at St. Dominic’s hospital and his Hospice Care Team.

Ken is survived by his Children: Kenneth E. Jackson, Jr., James Edward Jackson, Michael Gibbons and Lynn Gibbons Haley (Curtis), Grandchildren: Jonathan Edward Jackson, Benjamin Ragsdale Jackson, Rachel Haley Wade, Henry Atherton, Jaqueline Brown, Amanda Gibbons Glover (Matt) and children, Abigail, Jackson and Olivia Jane and Elizabeth Gibbons Thompson (David) and children, Theodore and Bradley, Niece and her family: Kathy Pate DeMuth (Larry), Lauren Kathryn DeMuth, James Pate DeMuth, Niece and her family: Stacy Pate Oglesby, Lacy Lynn Oglesby Prather and family, Linfield Lennox Oglesby, IV and family, Niece and her family: Kim Prisock Townsend (David), Jordan Townsend, Dallas Lee Townsend, Nephew and Wife: Billy Jackson Prisock (Melody). He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, brother and son, Larry Gibbons, and nephew, Kerry Prisock.

Memorials may be made to the SIDS Foundation of Mississippi, Cystic Fibrosis, American Heart Association or Broadmoor Baptist Church.