Leatrice Jackson, Class of 1947, was nominated by Robert Gallina, Mary Lou Bertolucci and Marie Wolf. She taught for 38 years: one year at a grade school in Canton and 37 at Minerva High School as a Social Studies and English teacher.
She was a charter member of the Great Trail Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a member of The Minerva Public Library Board of Trustees for 17 years, co-chairman of the American Cancer Society for ten years, a member of the Booster Club for 37 years and a member of the First Presbyterian Church for 50 years.
She was advisor for many junior and senior graduating classes. She was also advisor to many extra-curricular clubs during her teaching career. Those activities, supervised by Lee for many years, had no stipend involved. Many people may not be aware of the fact that Lee helped many needy students and people in the community with donations of her time, money, and talents when the need was brought to her attention. For example, when a student needed a winter coat or a pair of glasses, the items were given to the student or adult anonymously. Many times the money was sent to the needy individual, family, or group in a typed envelope with a whitepaper wrapped around the money. No name or return address was typed on the envelope, but the postmark was Minerva. Since her death, parties close to Lee have confirmed many of her gestures of generosity.
Lee was a quiet, positive, compassionate loving person who extended financial and emotional support to all those in need. She was an excellent listener who never spoke ill of anyone. She sought out and nurtured the best qualities in every student, not just the top, easy-to-teach, easy-to-love individuals, but every single student. Her quick wit and ready humor delighted all those who knew her and enhanced her ability to achieve instant rapport with total strangers.
Despite the fact that she achieved many top, exemplary awards for her achievements, for example, having been valedictorian of her MEIS graduating class, and later at Mount Union College, having achieved the distinctions of Civil War Award for the highest grade in Civil War History classes, and graduating cum laude with honors in English and history, Lee was able to identify with all students in her classes, even the slower students who needed extra tutoring. She gave unstintingly before and after school days and even over school vacations, all free of charge, and often because she did it so quietly, free of praise and recognition that was due her.
In his nomination, Gallina wrote, "Lee Jackson was a native and life-long resident of Minerva. She dedicated her entire life to Minerva High School and the Minerva community as a whole. Her total focus revolved around her family, her job, and the town of Minerva."
Edna Jones, Class of 1936, was nominated by her sister Charity Jones Peterson. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948 and her Master’s of Arts degree in history from Miami University at Oxford, Ohio. Her coursework was completed at the University of Washington at Seattle and Carnegie-Mellon in Pittsburgh for her doctoral degree in psychology.
Edna is a retired vice president of Synectics Corporation, a high tech firm of which she is one of the founders and a major owner. At Synectics she directed major programs of domestic and international research and has served on the Board of Directors since 1970. Prior to her affiliation with Synectics, she served as a principal scientist and director of the Engineering Psychology Program at the American Institutes for Research in Pittsburgh, was dean of students and director of testing and counseling in the Sidney School system in Montana and held a two-year Ford Foundation Research Fellowship at the University of Washington.
She also held instructorships at Miami University and Carnegie-Mellon University and served as a member of the Board of Directors at L and C Development Corporation and Air-Sea-Land Agency, Inc.
Edna served as a captain in the U. S. Army with the Combined Chiefs of Staff and subsequently as a hospital administrator with a reserve evacuation hospital unit.
Her community service includes volunteering at the Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts at McLean, Virginia, arranging and paying for secondary education for a street child in southern Africa and assisting a northern African girl in gaining her Bachelor of Arts and Master’s of Arts degrees in health service. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Allegheny County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association for Mentally Retarded Citizens for four years and is a ten-year member of the Friends of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D. C.
Jesse J. Jones, Class of 1941, was nominated by several people, including Laura S. Brown, Susan B. Crawford, Michael R. Gallina, Brenda Johnson, Robert Kastelic, Bill Martino, C. Louise Rose, and Carole A. Stein. Jones was a U. S. Navy veteran of World War II and was involved in many community service organizations.
As a child, Jones lived in Minerva on Murray Avenue with his parents, one brother and six sisters. He worked for Jake Shiffman delivering groceries on a bicycle throughout Minerva. He continued working for Shiffman after Jake opened his store at the comer of Market and High Streets. After high school, Jones was employed at Taylorcraft Aviation making aircraft for both the military and private sectors. Because of his job, he was exempt from the military draft; however, after his best friend was killed in military service, he enlisted in the United States Navy. He served on the destroyer escort U.S.S. Price in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. He held the rank of Radarman Second Class.
His sister Edna introduced him to U. S. Navy service woman Dorothy Gollus, who was stationed in the secret mail and file room in Washington, D.C. Jesse and Dorothy were married in 1944. After their discharge from the navy, they came back to Ohio and Jesse became an instructor in aviation hand tools and as a aircraft draftsman. He and Dorothy became the parents of five children and eleven grandchildren.
After Jones left Taylorcraft Aviation, he was employed by E. W. Bliss Co. in Salem. He served as the company’s first-aid man since he had extensive training in first-aid and was a certified American Red Cross first-aid instructor. He volunteered with the American Red Cross for twenty-five years. His many years of volunteer service included: twelve years with the Hospice of Stark County, Scout Master and assistant Scout Master of the Boy Scouts, and Minerva Community Meals. He was an enthusiastic member of American Legion Post 357 and served as Commander as well as chairperson for the Americanism Scholarship Committee.
After Dorothy Jones died, Jesse, who suffered from heart problems, had open-heart surgery. His nurse was Harriet Miller who was a family friend, an ex army nurse and had recently retired from Aultman Hospital. Their friendship grew and they were married in 1992.
Harriet and Jesse enjoyed traveling, but mostly they spent a great deal of time volunteering. During Operation Desert Shield, they prepared and shipped many care-packages to Minerva area service personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf. They personally purchased and dried bushels of apples, which they bagged and sent as a taste of home to our service personnel so far from home.
Laura S. Brown said of Jones when he volunteered at Alliance Community Hospital, "When Jesse came to volunteer, he came to serve others.
"Brenda Johnson of Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron said of Jones, "As a Respite Care Volunteer, Jesse went to families' homes to care for people who had a terminal illness while the caregiver took a break away from the home. This job could at times be very challenging emotionally, physically and even spiritually. However Jesse was dependable and cheerful as he went to each family."
Bill Martino, Director of The Minerva Public Library, called him a true friend of the library.
C. Louise Rose and Susan Crawford also wrote of Jones' work with the library, and especially his making and teaching others how to make origami figures.
Michael Gallina wrote, "As part of our alma mater states, 'oh worthy art thou of fame,' yes, Jesse is worthy of this recognition. He has been involved with our great school's heritage for the past sixty-three years!"
Robert Kastelic told of working with Jones in the Community Meals program and the Don V. Cross, American Legion Post 357.
Carole A. Stein, who worked with Jones teaching CPR and First Aid for the North Columbiana County American Red Cross, told of their work forming a First Aid Mobile Unit and the many hours spent in providing care to the community.
Lee Ann Johnston Thorn, class of 1979, was nominated by Diane Walker Evans, also of the class of 1979. Thorn is a senior financial executive with over twenty years of management excellence and career success ranging from financial advisory and restructuring consulting services, executive management in health care, specialty retail, information management and higher education to providing audit and tax services with an international accounting firm.
While in high school, even though Thorn always had a job, she remained at the top of her class and participated in extra-curricular activities such as cheerleading, Crescent staff and National Honor Society. In 1983 she received a bachelor’s of arts degree in accounting, Summa cum Laude, from Mount Union College, and in 1985 became a certified public accountant. In the 1980’s, she was employed by Ernst and Young. In 1998 she became the CFO and treasurer of Camelot Music, Inc. This company was a national specialty retail company with 485 locations and $660 million in annual revenues.
In 2000 she was elected to the board of trustees of Mount Union College where she served as interim Vice President of Business Affairs and Treasurer. During this time she reorganized and restructured the business office, and directed a reallocation of a $130 million endowment resulting in capital preservation, improved investment returns and reduction of management costs. From 2000 to 2005 she became executive vice president and treasurer of GBS Corporation, a company involved in manufacturing distribution and development of document management and technology solutions.
In 2006, Thorn established her own company, LAThorn Consulting, LLC in North Canton. Her recent projects were representing lender interests totaling $4.9 billion relative to evaluation of strategic alternatives for $6 billion REIT; advising agent lender in resolution of inter-creditor concerns relative to a $140 million credit facility for a newly formed diversified media and sports marketing company; and representing secured lender interests in forced bankruptcy of a beverage manufacturing and distribution company with allegations of massive accounting fraud.
Since 2007, she has been the executive director of Atrium OB-Gyn, Inc. & Spa at Atrium, LLC in Canton. She reports to the board of directors on the overall operation of the organization. She serves as the liaison between legal, financial, and other entities within the community and the healthcare delivery system in matters pertaining to future growth and strategic planning.
Lee Ann has a proven track record of exceptional financial management and leadership skills throughout all phases of corporate business cycles including: substantial growth and profitability, leveraged buyouts, aggressive competition, corporate downsizing, financial restructuring and industry consolidation.
In addition to all of her business activity, Thorn is actively involved in many community and professional associations. She has served as trustee of Mount Union College from 1992 to present, and was chairperson of the board from 2004 – 2010. Since 1992 she has served on the Stark County Community Foundation Investment Review Committee and is a trustee of the Mercy Medical Center Development Foundations. The list of her activities is never-ending. She has served as trustee of both the Stark Development Board and the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce. Since 1985, she has been a member of the American Institute and Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants. In 1989, she was chosen as Woman of the Year by the Stark County Women’s Network for which she served as president from 1985 – 1989.
Lee Ann Johnson Thorn fulfills the definition of a member of the Minerva High School Alumni Hall of Fame . . . she is someone who has brought honor and distinction to Minerva High School through her career and her community service.