Memorial and Justice for Mary

In the early hours of Monday, December 13th Mary E. Jones Jr. died. She was... it's difficult to talk about her in the past tense, but unbelievably I have to now. She was the mother and best friend of daughters Angela and Danette, the funny grandmother of Kiersten, Kiah, and DJ, and beloved sibling, aunt, and great aunt. She meant so much to so many people.

She dedicated over three decades of her life to public service as an employee of the city of Gary fighting for housing and employment rights of NW Indiana residents. Her work as a self-taught artist has been on public display and adorns the walls of her family. Her home is like an art gallery, full of her paintings and drawings, most dedicated to Black American life and our family. The home she lived in when she died was the home her parents built and the one she first came to when she was born. As the elder family historian, she kept her ancestors alive for future generations.

Mary was an amazing woman, mother, sister, grandmother, and artist. Her life was cut short, not by a chronic illness, or the pandemic, but because of negligent medical care after falling and breaking her hip in January 2021. The quality of life she had in her final months was far less than she deserved. She deserved a doctor who didn't simply dismiss her pain for months. She didn't deserve for a doctor to continue a hip replacement surgery while she lay dying on the operating table and the other medical professionals in the OR encouraged him to stop.

We are raising funds not only to memorialize Mary after her unexpected death but also for the costs associated with starting a malpractice lawsuit such, as a private autopsy, obtaining all of her medical records, and retaining a lawyer. Mary deserves justice for her life being cut short just as she sought justice for others.

Given that her passing is so near to the holidays, the family will fulfill her wishes to have a showing of her art instead of a memorial service in Spring 2022.

Thank you for anything you give especially your love and support.