Patricia “Pat” Ann Roberts Jones graced the world with her presence on May 9, 1930, in Alexandria. On Saturday she celebrated her 90th birthday with a “drive by” parade of family and friends, social distancing couldn’t keep loved ones from helping her celebrate another year of a wonderful life.
Pat graduated from Oakdale High School in 1947. She then met and married her husband Holman Jones. They wed on June 18, 1950. They celebrated 64 years of marriage before his passing. They had five children Rick Jones, Craig Jones, Marilyn Jones Lee, Susan Jones Murry and Patrick Jones, 10 grandchildren and 10 great grand children.
She and Holman owned and operated Magnolia Printing Company for over 50 years. This included owning and operating the Oakdale Journal for over 15 years from the 1970’s to the 1990’s. She was the editor and her husband worked as the publisher.
Over the years, she has been active in virtually every civic organization in Oakdale; from the Garden Club to the Business and Professional Womens’ Club, and has served three times as president of the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce. She also served on the 1984 Economic Development Committee that lobbied so hard and was successful in having the federal prison built in Oakdale. This was at a time when the unemployment rate in Allen Parish was the highest in the nation.
After selling the newspaper, she worked for Humana Hospital as the director of the “Senior Friends” program, and then began working as Executive Director of Allen Parish Council on Aging, where she still works today.
In 2005, she was selected as the “Outstanding Older Worker” for the State of Louisiana and was honored at a reception in Washington, DC.
She spends her days now working on behalf of the elderly; most of whom are younger than she is. She is a regular in the halls of the Louisiana Legislature in Baton Rouge, always advocating passionately for the Councils on Aging.
According to her family when Pat is not working, she loves to travel and has been to 48 of the 50 states, only missing North and South Dakota. Her children are working on getting her to the last two states this year.
Pat has given of her time and energy to see Oakdale grow and thrive. She is described as generous, kind and beloved by all who know her.
