Jack Golden

Jack Clayton Golden, age 86, of Martin, formerly of Corinth, Texas and Leitchfield, Kentucky, died in a car accident Tuesday, April 7, 2020, in Dresden. Mr. Golden was born in Vienna, Louisiana. His parents were killed in a car accident when he was two years old, and he grew up in the Louisiana Methodist Orphanage in Ruston, Louisiana, along with his older brother and sister. He graduated in 1959 from Bethel College in McKenzie, where he played basketball and met the love of his life, Regina Pryor Golden. They were married almost 60 years at the time of her death in 2018. He was a teacher in Clarksburg, Caneyville, Kentucky, Horse Branch, Kentucky, Leitchfield, Kentucky, and Little Elm, Texas. He was also the campus director of the Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home in Denton, Texas. Standing 6’8 and with a friendly and outgoing personality, he is remembered by many former students as the “tallest man we’d ever seen and one of the nicest.” He attended First Baptist Church, Martin. He is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Philip and Lisa Smartt of Dresden; daughter-in-law, Donna Golden of Denton, Texas; grandchildren, Stephen Smartt of Dresden, Jonathan Smartt of Martin, Clay and Kellie Golden of Denton, Texas, Trevor and Chelsea Chapman of Allen, Texas; and great-grandchildren, Stella and Iris Golden, and Laila and Lydia Chapman. Mr. Golden was preceded in death by his wife, Regina Pryor Golden; his son, Jeryl Golden; his parents, William and Gertrude Golden; his brother, William T. Golden; his sister, June Golden Marshall. A memorial service has been posted online and can be viewed at https://youtu.be/7oNE912GNUQ or on the FB page of Lisa Golden Smartt.