[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 24047]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF PATRICIA A. JONES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pence). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an 
outstanding woman, Mrs. Patricia A. Jones, who in her own right 
provided immeasurable services, especially to children and social 
service agencies in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs.
  In addition to that, Mrs. Jones is also the beloved wife of the 
Senate Democratic Leader of Illinois, Emil Jones, Jr. She passed away 
Sunday past at 11 p.m. at St. Francis Hospital, a young woman, only 63 
years old.
  She was as much a partner in her husband's public life as she was in 
his private life. Emil and Patricia Jones were wed on December 4, 1974. 
She was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 9, 1938, the third of 
eleven children. She went through the New Orleans school system where 
she became a teacher.
  Of course, ultimately, she came to Chicago and is survived by her 
husband; two sons, John Sterling and Emil Jones III; and a nephew, Emil 
Alvarez Jones, whom she raised. She is also survived by a number of 
other relatives.
  She attended Loyola University in Chicago and graduated from Chicago 
State University.
  As a young adult, Mrs. Jones moved with her family to Chicago. She 
was employed by the City of Chicago, administrating the Title 20 
program for a number of years, which included preschool, Head Start. 
She also taught in the preschool program at the YMCA in Chicago.
  She served on the school board as President of Holy Name of Mary 
Catholic School in Morgan Park. She was active in her church, Holy Name 
Mary Catholic Church in Morgan Park, where she was a former member of 
the Ladies Guild. She was a member of AKA Sorority and a board member 
of the Beverly Arts Center.
  We extend our condolences to the minority leader in the Illinois 
Senate, Emil Jones, on the death of his wife, but we value her 
contributions and know that they will long remain not only a part of 
Chicago but a part of the Nation.

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