Obituary of J. Nelson Fairbanks

J. Nelson Fairbanks, age 83, passed away peacefully February 18, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. He was born September 27, 1935 in Jonesville, Louisiana to Stephen and Onie Fairbanks. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Velda Brasher. Fairbanks graduated from Louisiana State University in 1957 with a B.S. in Animal Science and went on to serve in the U. S. Army as Staff Sergeant until 1962. He returned to LSU and earned a M.S. in Agriculture Economics and Business in 1964. He served as Assistant County Agent for East Baton Rouge, LA and was an economist with the American Sugar Cane League in Thibodaux, Louisiana. In 1966, he moved to Clewiston, Florida to join the Florida Sugar Cane League as Vice President and General Manager. He met, fell in love and married Anita Lee Cowart in Pahokee, Florida on May 13, 1967. In 1978, Fairbanks joined United States Sugar Corporation as Vice President, Corporate Development and later became Executive Vice President. When John B. Boy retired from U.S. Sugar at the end of 1987, Fairbanks was named President and Chief Executive Officer and served in this capacity until his retirement in 2000. During his time with U.S. Sugar, Fairbanks was instrumental in establishing the ESOP retirement plan for U. S. Sugar employees in 1983. Also, in 1983, the company purchased South Central Florida Express Railroad. Under Fairbanks, cattle operations were converted to citrus groves in 1986 and the company built the newest and most efficient citrus processing plant of the time. He was influential in the development of the Everglades Forever Act in 1994. Fairbanks and the employees of U. S. Sugar, along with retirees, growers and many community members led the sugar industry in defeating a statewide penny-a-pound sugar tax in 1996. Governor Lawton Chiles appointed Fairbanks to the Governor's Commission that later developed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. He oversaw U.S. Sugar's transition to one hundred percent mechanical sugarcane harvesting and the addition of refined sugar production with the construction of the Clewiston Refinery. The refinery opened in 1998 as the country's newest and only fully integrated sugarcane refinery with its refined sugar being marketed through United Sugars Corporation in Minnesota. This created the first nationwide sugar marketing cooperative. He worked on finalizing the Talisman Sugar acquisition which involved exchanging thousands of acres of land for restoration projects. In 2001, as an avid supporter of LSU, he established the J. Nelson Fairbanks Endowed Professorship to support the development of LSU's Agriculture Department. Fairbanks was very active in Tallahassee and Washington D.C. in protecting sugarcane farmers and the Clewiston community. He also served as a director for several organizations, including the Florida Council of 100, the Florida Sugar Cane League and the Florida Council on Economic Education. He received the Northwood University "Outstanding Business Leader" award for his lifetime support of education. Above all, he was a devoted Christian and family man with the highest ethical values. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Clewiston until moving to Orlando. He became a member of St. Luke's United Methodist Church and was a dedicated member of the Greater Good Men's Discussion Group, a gathering open to men who are committed to faith, growth, and encouragement at his church. He and his wife were active in different organizations providing assistance to families in need in the Orlando area. His was a life spent helping others in his community. Fairbanks has always been known for his love of sports and his love of the Clewiston community. For the past five years, the J. Nelson Fairbanks/U. S. Sugar Golf Tournament held in his honor has raised more than $216,000 for Clewiston's golf course and recreational programs. In 2016, the City of Clewiston unveiled a plaque christening the back nine holes, "The Fairbanks Back Nine." As a final honor, recognizing his lifetime love of golf and support of the Clewiston Golf Course, a memorial gift rather than a tournament will be made this year. Fairbanks lived in Clewiston for over forty years and raised his family there. After retirement, he and his wife moved to Windermere, Florida to be near his family. He is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 52 years, Anita, his children: Vanessa Fairbanks (John) Hodak of Orlando, Florida and Jay (Olga Penton) Fairbanks of Boone, North Carolina and his grandchildren: Hanna (15) Hodak and Dylan (14) Hodak and Preston (15) Fairbanks and Lilly (14) Fairbanks. He also leaves behind nieces and nephews; Cora Brakhage, Diana Dueease, Edward Brasher and Freda White. Visitation will be held at Akin Davis Funeral Home in Clewiston on Monday, March 4, 2019 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM. Services will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 5th at Evangel Assembly of God, 350 South Berner Road, Clewiston, FL 33440. Internment will take place after the service at Ridgelawn Cemetery, Clewiston. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the following: First United Methodist Church, Clewiston, Florida St. Luke's United Methodist Church, Orlando, Florida LSU J. Nelson Fairbanks Professorship. Checks can be made out to "LSU Foundation" with "J. Nelson Fairbanks Professorship" in the byline 3796 Nicholson Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. Additionally, a contribution could be made online at lsufoundation.com/givetoagriculture and indicating "J. Nelson Fairbanks Professorship" in the Gift Comments. Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home – Clewiston