The late Kevin “Catfish” Jackson left a legacy at Savannah Christian, where he coached the defensive line on the 2011 GHSA Class A state championship football team and, for years, positively impacted the lives of many people on and off the gridiron.
Two generations of Jackson family members have attended, currently attend, and, no doubt, will attend their beloved Savannah Christian Preparatory School in the future.
His family also carries on his legacy since his death at age 62 in April 2024 with the creation of the Kevin “Catfish” Jackson Foundation Scholarship Fund. The annual scholarship is for $7,100 -- symbolic of his uniform No. 71 when he played defensive tackle for the University of Georgia and legendary head coach Vince Dooley, and also defensive coordinator coach Erk Russell, who grew his own legend as Georgia Southern’s three-time national title-winning head coach.
Rewarding ‘extraordinary’ students
The scholarship goes to a SCPS senior who has enrolled at an in-state college or university. The winner is selected by the Jackson family from a list of 10 to 12 candidates submitted by the school, said Elizabeth (Jackson) Sumner, the eldest of Kevin's children, who referenced a favorite phrase of her father: “Why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary?”
“It has to be someone who is truly extraordinary,” Sumner said. “Everything they do, they’re consistent. They’re motivated. They work hard. Someone that stands out, like my dad did.”
Jadyn Singleton, a state champion in track and field and in competitive cheerleading as well as an honor student, was awarded the first scholarship in 2024 shortly after Jackson’s passing. Singleton is a biology major and a cheerleader at Georgia, according to her biography on the UGA athletics website.
The next honoree was Mollie Poppell, a three-sport standout from the Class of 2025 (volleyball, basketball, track and field) who went on to Georgia Southern, Sumner said.
Elizabeth Jackson Sumner, Mary Margaret Jackson Cone, Mollie Poppell and Kevin "Kev" Jackson Jr. pose during the 2025 Savannah Christian scholarship presentation honoring the legacy of the late Kevin “Catfish” Jackson.
This year’s honoree is Athen Hudspeth, a standout in football and baseball who will attend UGA.
“He is a great, well-rounded athlete and smart. He wants to be a veterinarian,” Sumner said. “When I read his resume, well, this is how I’d want my sons’ to look. I’m very proud to give it to him this year.”
Kev Jackson Jr., Elizabeth Sumner, Athen Hudspeth and Mary Margaret Jackson Cone pose with two of Jackson’s grandsons during a Savannah Christian scholarship celebration honoring the legacy of Kevin “Catfish” Jackson.
She said the criteria include having a solid academic record and grade-point average.
“We’re not talking a 4.0, but at least an A/B student, someone who puts forth a lot of effort, someone whom their teachers speak highly of,” Sumner said. “Someone who gives it their all in every aspect of their academics and athletics or different extracurricular activities.”
It’s not required that the winner played football, though the family name lives on in the Libby and Kevin Jackson Weight Room.
Kevin “Catfish” Jackson, right, stands with Savannah Christian head football coach Baker Woodward outside the school’s Libby and Kevin Jackson Weight Room at Savannah Christian Preparatory School.
“He was a community coach,” Sumner said. “He was a volunteer. He just loved coaching. He loved being around the kids. He loved football. He loved helping those kids. ... He loved being a part of the game. He loved Savannah Christian.”
Jackson was also a devoted family man. The two loves combined when Elizabeth married Tyler Sumner, a former Savannah Christian and Georgia Southern football player. They have three sons: Jackson “Jack” Sumner, 11, who is entering sixth grade at SCPS; Baker, 9 (fourth grade); and Will, 5 (kindergarten).
Elizabeth Sumner’s two siblings also have children attending SCPS.
Kevin “Kev” Jackson Jr. and his wife Kate have Richard Kevin “Trip” Jackson III, 7 (second grade), Sara Collins Jackson, 5 (kindergarten), Eleanor, 2, and a fourth child on the way, Elizabeth Sumner said.
Mary Margaret Cone and her husband Thomas have Field Cone, 7 (second grade), Luke, 4 (pre-K), and Kevin, 1.
“There’s nine grandchildren total and one on the way, so we’re hoping they keep being involved to honor their grandfather, who loved them more than anything,” Elizabeth Sumner said.
Kevin “Catfish” Jackson stands with family members on the field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., during a Georgia football game. Jackson’s family continues to honor his legacy through scholarships, community giving and the Kevin “Catfish” Jackson Foundation. (In corner Libby and Kevin Jackson)
June 15 fundraiser celebrates Jackson with golf, party.
Jackson lettered in 1980-82 and was part of the 1980 national championship squad.
The Cartersville native, who earned a degree in business education from UGA, moved to Savannah, joined the workforce, got married, and started a family with his wife, Libby.
He also became a force in business, founding and running EnviroVac, an industrial and environmental cleaning services company that grew from one local location to serving six Southeastern states. Jackson was inducted into the Junior Achievement Savannah Business Hall of Fame in 2023.
“He was such a giver and he helped so many people in his lifetime,” said Elizabeth (Jackson) Sumner. “We want to continue that. We want to continue to help whoever we see fit needs help. We want his grandchildren to be givers. He was a big presence in their lives. We want them to see giving is more important than receiving. We’re a very blessed family and we want to continue to bless others.”
To commemorate her father’s birthday (June 2), the foundation is having a fundraiser, the second annual Kevin “Catfish” Jackson Memorial Golf Tournament & Birthday Bash on June 15 at The Savannah Golf Club, 1661 E. President St.
The golf portion of the event -- 32 four-man teams in a scramble format -- already is sold out. EnviroVac is the title sponsor, but other sponsorships of various costs are still available as of this writing.
Sumner said tickets are also available for attending only the birthday party, which will include dinner, dessert, snacks, an open bar, a live band, and a silent auction. Tickets are $100 for one person, $350 for four, and children attend for free. It starts at 6 p.m. at The Savannah Golf Club in downtown Savannah.
“It’s basically one big party celebrating him and his life and all the good he did,” she said. “It just helps heal us, too, to do something for him.”
The foundation also raises money for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education and awareness and purchases of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
For more information about sponsorship opportunities, attending the Kevin “Catfish” Jackson Birthday Bash or donating to the foundation’s scholarship, CPR and AED efforts, visit https://form.jotform.com/261254302623043 or search Facebook for Kevin Catfish Jackson Foundation.
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Photos courtesy of the Jackson family and social media.
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