Roxanne H. Jones (May 3, 1928 – May 19, 1996)[3] was an American social activist and politician who served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 3rd district from January 1, 1985 to May 19, 1996.
"[11] Ed Rendell, the mayor of Philadelphia at that time and later governor of Pennsylvania, called her the city's "leading advocate for the poor and most vulnerable citizens ... a non-stop energetic whirlwind who battled injustice with every ounce of energy she possessed.
[6] During the last month of her life, she proposed the creation of a nineteen-member advisory panel to investigate ways to improve the lives of children whose parents were imprisoned, new legislation that would reduce Medicaid fraud by requiring that the government improve reviews of medical claims and send Medicaid recipients medical statements to help them keep better track of what was happening with their care, and legislation that would require the government to reimburse families receiving welfare assistance for bus fares to ensure that they could continue to send their children to school.
"[23][24] In the days following her death, newspapers described Jones' "righteous fire"[25] and "pioneering courage,"[26] and called her "an unwavering champion of the poor.
"[27] The head of Philadelphia's Housing Authority, John F. White Jr., observed, "It's another stilled voice for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable citizens of our state," while her friend and colleague of two decades, Jonathan Stein, of Community Legal Services, explained that:[14] "Her work was not about potholes and getting drivers' licenses expedited....
"Although Ridge was initially asked to stay away from Jones' funeral, family members subsequently extended an invitation for him to attend.
Rendell, Pennsylvania Rep. Dwight Evans and U.S. Rep. William H. Gray III were among the roughly forty speakers who eulogized Jones during the evening memorial service.
Praising Kimberly Kieffer, a nine-year-old who had proposed a ban on smoking for children under the age of fourteen as part of a fourth-grade mock legislative session at North Hills Elementary School in York, Pennsylvania, a school that was not even in Jones' legislative district, Jones not only sent the child the requested picture, the final one that she would ever autograph, but she also took the time to write Kieffer a handwritten note:[33] "I think you are great.
"In the days and years after Jones' death, educators, elected officials, social justice activists, and their respective organizations continued to pay tribute to her public service and the inspiration she gave to others.