By Lance Martin
rrspin.com

HALIFAX – At a recent meeting, the Halifax County Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution naming a portion of Highway 301 in honor of the late Edward Jones, a 30-year veteran of the state Highway Patrol and North Carolina state senator.

Tyrone Williams presented the resolution to the board during their meeting and has also sent a letter to the state Department of Transportation district engineer’s office requesting a 5-mile stretch of the highway through Enfield to the Edgecombe County line be named in the late senator’s honor.

“Citizens in his district and across the state miss his quiet but steady leadership,” Williams, a close friend, said in the DOT letter. “It is very fitting that we honor his service to our great state and his memory in a manner such as this.”

Williams said his commitment extends to assisting in raising funds for the endeavor.

After retiring from the state Highway Patrol, which included a period where he served as the First Sgt. in the Troop A / District II office in Ahoskie, Jones served as Enfield Police Chief before being elected mayor in 2002. “His political career continued on an upwards path when he was appointed to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2005 upon the death of Rep. John Hall.”

After winning election to his own term, Jones was appointed the Fourth District senatorial district seat upon the death of Senator Robert Holloman (formerly of Ahoskie). “Senator Jones took his senate seat in 2007,” Williams said in the DOT letter.

He was subsequently elected in 2008, 2010 and 2012 to the state senate.

“Senator Jones was a very active and visible public servant throughout his district,” Williams wrote. “His accomplishments and contributions are numerous. He was an advocate and champion of public education at all levels, a community service warrior and a friend to the youth and elderly.”

Concluded Williams in the letter, “We are all better because this great man crossed our path and he was certainly the epitome of his personal motto: It’s not about the titles we possess; it’s about the job we do.”

Jones died in December of 2012.

In the resolution honoring the late senator, the document calls Jones “an advocate for county government on many critical issues” and notes he made “numerous important contributions for the citizens of North Carolina and in particular Halifax County.”

Says the resolution: “Mr. Jones demonstrated strong leadership, wisdom, creativity and community spirit while serving on the North Carolina General Assembly thus enhancing community services, economic development, education, health, transportation and improving Halifax County’s unique quality of life.”

Commissioner Marcelle Smith offered the motion to approve the resolution.

 

(Lance Martin is the Editor and Publisher of www.rrspin.com. Permission was received to publish this article.)