Tucker, GA — George Jackson, the founder of the Old Hickory House restaurant, died on Feb. 15.

He was 97. According to his obituary, Jackson opened his first Old Hickory House restaurant in Atlanta in 1955 and opened one in Tucker in 1974. He was still active in the restaurant located on Northlake Parkway in Tucker, his obituary says. The obituary notes he was a World War II Navy veteran.

“George enjoyed coming to his restaurant every day to visit with his customers,” his obituary says. “He considered many of them to be his good friends.”

On the Old Hickory House Facebook page, longtime customers shared their condolences and their memories.

One commenter named Jeff said, “I enjoyed you sitting with My Mom and I a few years back for lunch. It tickled me for you to tell me that you were looking for a good Pit Man and offered me my job back after 48 years of being Pit man at Candler Road, Old Hickory House. Best job I had as a young teenager and absolutely the best BOSS I ever worked for !! I still have my workers permit that you signed for me to work in 1971 when I was 13.”

Another commenter, Daniel, said, “I’ve been a customer since I first went to the Piedmont location in 1956. I was 12 years old and would walk or ride my bike there. I still go to the Tucker location whenever I can.”

His obituary wall was also filled with remembrances.

“My mother, Dora … worked for George a long time,” commenter Annette wrote. “I would work for him in the summer and when I came home from college and high school. He was always a great boss and a wonderful friend. I talked to him not long ago and I´m so thankful that I did, he will always hold a special place in our family’s heart because he was so good to us.”

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