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92_SJ0046 LRB9211243WHdv 1 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, The Members of the Illinois General Assembly are 3 deeply saddened to learn of the death of Patricia A. Jones, 4 beloved wife of Senate Minority Leader Emil Jones, Jr., on 5 December 2, 2001; and 6 WHEREAS, She was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 7 August 9, 1938, the third of eleven children of Leon and 8 Lucille Sterling; and 9 WHEREAS, Mrs. Jones was educated in the Catholic school 10 system in New Orleans, where she lived and became a teacher; 11 and 12 WHEREAS, As a young adult, Mrs. Jones moved with her 13 family to Chicago, where she attended Loyola University and 14 graduated from Chicago State University; and 15 WHEREAS, She counted among the many accomplishments in 16 her life the ability she had to make a difference in the 17 lives of children as a teacher, a volunteer at a local day 18 care center and as a curriculum coordinator for pre-school 19 and Head Start programs for the Title 20 program for the 20 Department of Human Services in Chicago; and 21 WHEREAS, She loved reading, traveling with her family, 22 cooking New Orleans-style Cajun dishes and volunteering for 23 special programs at various organizations even when she was 24 not a member of those groups; and 25 WHEREAS, In addition to her employment at the City of 26 Chicago Department of Human Services as a curriculum 27 coordinator for the Title 20 program, she also taught in the 28 pre-school program at the YMCA in Chicago; she was later 29 employed by the Chicago Transit Authority and as an assistant 30 general superintendent for the Department of Streets and 31 Sanitation for the City of Chicago; and -2- LRB9211243WHdv 1 WHEREAS, Community service was an integral part of her 2 life, Patricia Jones served as the school board president at 3 Holy Name of Mary Catholic School in Morgan Park; she was 4 active in her church, Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church in 5 Morgan Park, where she was a former member of the Ladies 6 Guild and an active member of the Pastoral Ministers of Care; 7 and 8 WHEREAS, She was also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha 9 Sorority, an organization devoted to public service, and a 10 board member of the Beverly Arts Center; and 11 WHEREAS, Patricia "Pat" Sterling married Emil Jones, Jr., 12 on December 14, 1974; and she was very devoted to their 13 children, John Sterling, Emil III, Renee Jones Rose, Emil 14 Alvarez Jones and Debra Jones, and grandchildren, Jonathan 15 and Alexandria Sterling; and 16 WHEREAS, She was as much a partner in her husband's 17 public life as she was in his private life, so much in fact 18 that he often referred to her "as the wind beneath my wings"; 19 and 20 WHEREAS, Pat shared in her husband's passion for public 21 life, helping him build coalitions, advising him on key 22 decisions, helping with problem solving and traveling with 23 him to many places throughout the world, including China, 24 Italy, and the recent trip to South Africa in which they met 25 Nelson Mandela, and joining him in every aspect of his 26 calling that ultimately became their calling; and 27 WHEREAS, She will be deeply missed by all who knew and 28 loved her, especially her husband, Senate Minority Leader 29 Emil Jones, Jr.; their children, John Sterling, Emil III, 30 Renee Jones Rose, Emil Alvarez Jones and Debra Jones; two 31 grandchildren, Jonathan and Alexandria Sterling; four 32 brothers, Leon Sterling, Sr., Charles Sterling, Sr., Michelle -3- LRB9211243WHdv 1 Sterling and Andre Sterling; and three sisters, Nona Honore, 2 Lucille Williams and Maria Stevenson; therefore, be it 3 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL 4 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF 5 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we mourn the passing 6 of Patricia A. Jones with her Family and all those who knew 7 and loved her; and be it further 8 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this preamble and 9 resolution be presented to the family of Patricia A. Jones 10 with our most heartfelt sympathies.