The passing of Martha Jones... Speech Pathologist and Union Delegate Extraordinaire... Funeral Wednesday December 7, 2011
For those of us privileged to have known Martha Jones, the news that she passed away sometime over the Thanksgiving weekend saddened us. On that Wednesday, November 23, 2011 (the day before Thanksgiving), we had a Clinicians Professional Problems Committee meeting in the morning, and there was no sign that she was not well. Martha was full of vigor and articulated the concerns of speech pathologists with the good turn of phrase and forcefulness that we have come to expect.
Recently, Martha had sat herself down and wrote contract articles for her clinician group. She bristled at the fact that Speech Pathologists never had a section in the union contract to delineate their needs. It was ironic that she did not live to see her work ratified as part of the draft union contract articles that were approved by the House of Delegates on November 30, the week after her untimely death. We will miss her passion, her ability to express herself eloquently at meetings but most of all, we will miss her friendship.
Martha was more than a union delegate; she was a dedicated speech pathologist and she was able to help children at the schools she was assigned to for speech services. At Jordan, Cathy Mizicho (Social Worker) and Carol Brunkowski (School Psychologist) met with the groups of students after the school, Jordan, found out about Martha’s passing. They were asked to write about her. The students remember that Martha was a great speech teacher and some even said that she was the best teacher they ever had. She was always really nice, caring and funny. She sang songs and played games with her groups. Martha even read special books to a group of boys to inspire them to grow up and achieve their dreams. Her hope was for the boys to read the book and then write a letter to the authors, inviting them to visit Jordan school.
All the students remember her high heels, good fashion and cool car. When talking with teachers and school administrators, both past and present, they remember a dedicated, very conscientious person that was committed to her profession and to the students.
There will be a wake and funeral for Martha Wednesday, December 7th at the Apostolic Church of God, 6320 South Dorchester, Chicago. The wake is from 10 until 11 a.m. and the funeral starts immediately afterwards at 11 a.m. until 12 noon.
