Longtime board of trustees member Nathaniel Jackson has recently passed away at the age of 80.

Jackson, who was the longest serving member on the board of trustees, died on Nov. 21, 2010 after being a part of El Camino College for nearly three decades.

“He was an outstanding man” William Beverly, president of the board of trustees said,  “He did a lot for El Camino and will be greatly missed.”

Jackson was a former psychology instructor and dean at EC before becoming a board of trustee member for four terms.

He was also a civil-rights activist who focused on helping minorities and striving for a positive change, Kerri Webb, granddaughter of Jackson, said.

“He was all about education. Making a change and fighting for what he believed in,” she said.

Aside from his busy schedule with El Camino, Jackson always made time to make his family his number one priority. He was a husband, father and grandfather.

“I could go to him about anything. He was always a wonderful listener, he really listened to what you had to say,” Webb said, “He had a deep voice like Mufasa from The Lion King, he was the king of pride.”

Jackson dedicated 30 years of his life to El Camino, and took pride with what he did here.

“He really cared about El Camino, it was his baby,” Webb said, “he poured a lot of himself into El Camino.”

Jackson possessed all the qualities that make a good leader and a well-respected man.

“One of the things I learned from my granddad was patience,” Webb said, “That man had patience, and that is something that benefitted the people around him”

Having been a part of the board of trustees for three terms, he definitely left his mark and is missed deeply by the people who worked with him.

“Nathaniel Jackson did so much for El Camino, he really was great,” Mary Combs, member of the board of trustees, said, “Not only was he great. He was a legend.”

Jackson drew criticism last year when his struggles with cancer caused him to consecutively miss board meetings, which ultimately caused him to retire and vacate the seat.

“The things that were important to him, are also important to me,” Kenneth Brown, new board of trustees member who took Jackson’s seat, said, “I know a lot of people who knew him. He was good. He was really good, and I have to live up that.”