[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 63 (Tuesday, May 10, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E845]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE LIFE OF JESS JACKSON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 10, 2011

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise with both pride and sadness today 
with my colleague Mike Thompson to honor one of Sonoma County's 
pioneering leaders. Jess Stonestreet Jackson passed away April 12, 
2011, at his home in Geyserville, California. From the wine industry to 
local philanthropy, Jess Jackson touched lives across the North Bay, 
and he was admired and respected for his devotion to our region.
  Born on February 18, 1930, and raised in San Francisco, Jess Jackson 
worked numerous jobs as a child to support his parents. As a young 
adult, he worked as a long shoreman and police officer to put himself 
through the University of California, Berkeley. He embodied the 
American ideal that a dedicated and hardworking person can build a 
successful life.
  With a unique drive and an entrepreneurial spirit, Jess Jackson 
established himself as a leader in the American wine industry. With a 
successful law career in San Francisco, he began growing grapes in the 
1970s. He produced his first wine in the 1980s at the age of 52, 
quickly putting Sonoma County on the map as one of the premier wine-
growing regions of the world. Jackson's work redefined the use of 
``California'' as an appellation of quality for Chardonnay. His family 
company, Jackson Family Wines, now operates over 30 wineries around the 
globe.
  Jackson was also known for devoting much of his energy, intellect and 
financial resources to help others. He donated millions of dollars to 
charities locally and across the country. In Sonoma County, for 
example, he supported the Family Justice Center, the Redwood Empire 
Food Bank, and the Boys and Girls Clubs. He and his wife, Barbara R. 
Banke, spearheaded a wine auction, Sonoma Paradiso, raising millions of 
dollars for a host of local causes for the benefit of children.
  Jackson and Banke also embarked on a pioneering venture to promote 
the study and practice of sustainable viticulture. Their multimillion-
dollar commitment to the University of California, Davis, which will 
fund the construction of a wine center geared toward education, 
testifies to the forward-thinking approach Jackson always took to 
business and agriculture in the Wine Country. I will create an 
opportunity for future generations to practice sustainable viticulture.
  In addition to his wife, Jackson is survived by his five children and 
their families who will continue his legacy in the North Bay.

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