[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 180 (Wednesday, December 18, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S8974]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MARILYN JONES

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Marilyn Jones, 
who has served as a valued member of my staff and the staff of my 
friend and predecessor, Senator John Warner.
  Though she was born in North Carolina, Marilyn has a long history of 
service to the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia. She is a 
remarkably compassionate woman who often worked tirelessly with our 
most vulnerable populations--our senior citizens and veterans. There 
are many extraordinary stories about constituents whose lives she has 
touched. One in particular stands out to me: Last year, we were 
contacted by the wife of a veteran whose husband was hospitalized at a 
private hospital because of an emergency. Unfortunately, he passed away 
the next day and the Department of Veterans Affairs refused to pay for 
his care. Marilyn successfully worked with the private hospital to make 
sure that the veteran's care in his final hours would not become a 
financial burden to his widow.
  Marilyn joined Senator John Warner in 1981 as a correspondence 
management specialist and rose to the position of caseworker. When 
Senator John Warner retired, Marilyn joined my staff to continue 
helping the people of Virginia. Because of her diligent work, she was 
promoted first to constituent services representative and then 
constituent services director. Marilyn has also been a dedicated member 
of her community in Richmond. She attended Virginia Union University 
and is an active member of her church, New Jerusalem International 
Christian Ministries, where she has been known to knit items for fellow 
church members. She has one beloved daughter, Shannan Hester.
  After over 30 years of working for the people of the Commonwealth of 
Virginia, Marilyn Jones is retiring. Marilyn, thank you for dedicating 
your career to public service and best of luck in the future.

                          ____________________