JACKSON-Four Jackson residents have been inducted into the Jackson Alumni Hall of Fame, one posthumously. Craig Johnson, Samara O’Neil, Robert Paneque and Glenn Sculthorpe have all been inducted.
Paneque passed away in July before the induction ceremony. He was the owner of the Howell Township Stewart’s Root Beer restaurant for over 41 years. He was a member of the Jackson Rotary Club, Jackson Elks, Jackson Zoning Board and Jackson Knights of Columbus. Paneque’s son Robert is the Athletic Director for Jackson Liberty High School. He was both a New York City fireman and an entrepreneur who dedicated many years of his life to children in Jackson as a Pop Warner football coach and Little League baseball coach. He was a substitute teacher for the Jackson School District and helped to build the Jackson Justice Complex “Jackson Jungle” playground.
The Jackson Alumni Hall of Fame was founded in 1991 and recognizes individuals that make significant contributions to the community through charitable service and to offer scholarships to graduating seniors at both of Jackson’s high schools.
Samara O’Neil is the owner of Porter Plus Realty and is a lifelong resident of Jackson. Her firm has become a growing boutique real estate agency and she is an advocate for the National Association of Realtors. She is married to her husband Daniel and has two children in the Jackson School District.
Through her involvement with the Rosenauer PTA, it allows her to be a constant in their young years and also very hands on. Samara has been able to help with programs that help promote the enrichment of children in the early grade levels.
She is a member of the board of directors of YMCA and volunteers as a coach in the Jackson Girls Basketball League. Samara’s passion is her involvement and desire to make a difference with the youth of Jackson Township and beyond. She and her siblings have launched the “Porter Family Scholarship Foundation” that provides mentorship programs, development committees and scholarships to stellar student-athletes and high academic achievers.
Glenn Sculthorpe is the owner of Tilton Bodyworks which has been serving Jackson since 1932. Sculthorpe was born in Jackson in 1952.
He grew up in Jackson when it was still a rural farm community and jokes about when the first 7-11 in town opened and he and his friends would pass by at 11pm just to see if it was indeed still open. He was a member of the first graduating class of Jackson Memorial High School and is married to his wife Kathy for 45 years.
Glenn’s community activism starts with his neighbors, but he is a member of the Kiwanis Club, Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Lakewood Elks Club and is a 3rd Degree Knight of the Moose.
Craig Johnson is a Certified Public Accountant for the firm of Holman Frenia Allison, P.C. He serves on the board of the Joshua Stanton Cramer Foundation and works for the organization Legacy of Love and Hope. He’s a member of the Jackson Township Historic Preservation Foundation and President of the Kiwanis Club. He’s a lifetime resident of Jackson.
