In Honor of the Memory of Janie Marie Jones

Floor Speech

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Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the esteemed life of Janie Marie Jones. Ms. Jones passed away on September 29, 2019 which greatly saddened our entire community. Her remarkable service to the Washtenaw County community is worthy of commendation.

Born in 1934, Ms. Jones grew up in Louisiana and Texas. After marrying, she moved to Detroit, Michigan with her two children. Ms. Jones was a devoted mother, selflessly putting the needs of her children before her own, and even delayed pursuing her own education until they were sufficiently grown. At the age of 35, Ms. Jones received her high school diploma from Robichaud High School and continued her education at Concordia College. She earned her Baccalaureate degree in 1989, and later took classes toward a master's degree in education in the years before her illness.

Ms. Jones quickly became a fixture of the Washtenaw County Community. Upon receiving her degree, she shared her enthusiasm for education with our community's children by working as a substitute teacher and volunteer for Head Start in Ypsilanti. Furthermore, Ms. Jones was recognized as a dedicated advocate for our community's veterans. She worked as a respiratory therapist at the Ann Arbor Veterans Administration Medical Center and also served veterans in a volunteer capacity, where she helped them navigate the complex federal system and connect with the services and resources they needed.

In addition to her work in healthcare, Ms. Jones was selected to join the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department in 1965 and was a trailblazer in this field. Ms. Jones was the first black woman deputy in the department's history, breaking the glass ceiling for other women in our community. Furthermore, she served on the Workforce Development Board, the Citizens Council to the Juvenile Court, and the Superior Township Planning Commission and Board of Review. Ms. Jones dedicated her life working for causes she believed in, and her efforts truly affected change throughout her community.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the legacy of Janie Marie Jones. We will forever remember her remarkable life, devotion, and service. She will be dearly missed. May she rest in eternal peace.

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