Assemblywoman Melinda Kane joined the general assembly after serving on the Cherry Hill council and the board of commissioners.
Assemblywoman Melinda Kane is a prime example of how, even when life gets dark, it’s possible to find light and newfound purpose at the end of the tunnel.
The Cherry Hill resident took her oath in January as a member of the state’s general assembly, representing a district that encompasses Camden and Burlington counties. Kane also served on township council for eight years and as a county commissioner for six.
Despite her decade and a half of experience in politics at various levels, the 67-year-old former special-education teacher – who was born and raised in Buffalo – never had a desire to run for office, until 2010, when her son Jeremy was killed at 22 while deployed in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Only a year and a half earlier, Kane’s husband Bruce passed away from stomach cancer.
“I was suddenly a widow and a Gold Star mother within an 18-month period,” Kane recalled. “I had to find a new purpose to my life. I wanted to carry on the goals that Jeremy had set, to live a life that made a difference and had an impact on others. I picked up where he left off.”
Following Jeremy’s death, Kane unwittingly became more visible publicly when she began interacting with local elected officials, from the mayor to state senators. All of them, she reflected, were extremely supportive as they honored Jeremy and assisted Kane with anything she needed. They also welcomed her to speak at various Memorial Day events and veterans programming.
It was around that time when Kane was approached about running for township council. At first, she was hesitant.
“I was always someone that was very much aware of what was going on politically, current events,” she acknowledged. “I was always reading the news, watching the news. But I never considered myself someone that would enter politics or ever be an elected official. The last time I held office was in high school, when I belonged to a youth group. I was successful, but that was really the extent of it.”
Still, Kane obliged, and is grateful she did.
“If you’re living the life you never thought you’d live, you might as well do the things you never thought you would do,” she noted. “This is not the path that I planned, the death of my son. But that was the approach that I took to life.”
Kane loved the council experience right away. In addition to ensuring that other local Gold Star families were treated with the utmost respect and empathy, she was a positive force for township residents as a whole, listening to their concerns and getting them answers.
“In so many cases, things happen to you at a time when you’re really overwhelmed and you just don’t know where to turn or what to do,” Kane added. “There are people in office and staff that have the answers that, in many cases, can help you.
“That’s what local government is for – to make a difference.”
After her time on council and the board of commissioners, Kane threw her hat into the ring to fill the seat of longtime Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt, who stepped down after nearly 20 years to become county clerk. Such openings don’t happen very often, and Kane was very interested in representing the 6th District.
Assemblywoman Melinda Kane is carrying on her late son Jeremy’s mission to live a life that makes a difference.
So far, her years of experience in local and county government are greatly benefitting Kane in the assembly, as she already boasts in-depth knowledge about how each level operates. Some of her initial goals are to keep New Jersey an affordable place to live and to address the needs and concerns of her constituents. She will also continue her work supporting Gold Star families.
“Having lived in this district for almost 40 years now, I hope that people know who I am and that they find me approachable, and the things that they have questions about, they can call me,” she related. “If they see me, they can stop and talk with me. I’m happy to have a conversation with them about what is going on.”
While Kane is filling the rest of Lampitt’s term, the entire 80-member assembly is up for reelection this year. If elected, Kane will then serve a full two-year term.
When asked what Jeremy would say if he could see his mom holding office and working to support the masses, Kane said he’d be “extremely proud.”
“Even when the worst things that could possibly happen in life happen, there’s a future that you may not be able to see at the time,” Kane explained. “I’m an example of not knowing what the future holds, but there’s opportunities to live a very meaningful, fulfilling life and to turn tragedy into something very positive.”
