Former State Rep. Gloria Fox, who represented Roxbury and parts of Dorchester in the Legislature for three decades, has passed away at age 82 after a brief illness.

Rep. Fox was the longest-serving woman in the House of Representatives at the time of her retirement in 2016. She served in many capacities as a lawmaker and was a longtime member of the influential Committee on Ways and Means.

"Gloria Fox was a force of nature—bold, passionate, and unwavering in her commitment to our community," said Rep. Brandy Fluker Oakley (D-Mattapan). "Her fearless voice and relentless advocacy set a powerful example and laid the foundation for future generations of Black women in the State House, myself included. We honor her legacy, her fortitude, and her unyielding spirit that will continue to inspire us for years to come."

Mary-dith Tuitt, who worked as a legislative aide for Fox during the second half of her legislative career, said the late lawmaker will be remembered as a champion for disenfranchised people across the Commonwealth, far beyond the limits of her Roxbury-centered district, the 7th Suffolk.

She was passionate about equity for the disenfranchised, especially foster children, because she came up in that system,” said Tuitt. “She felt that families needed to be reunified and worked to keep the community whole and unified, because she lost her own brother in the system for a long time.”

Tuitt said that Fox was first elected in a 1985 special election to succeed Doris Bunte, the first Black woman elected to serve in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

“When Doris Bunte decided to retire, she said, ’Ok, Gloria, it’s your turn,’” said Tuitt. “[Rep. Fox] had a challenger once, but for most of her years, she went unchallenged.

“Even unchallenged, she was receiving 90 percent of vote, she wasn’t getting blanks,” Tuitt added. “The people saw she was doing the work of the people, and all of them claimed her- even ones who didn’t live in the 7th district. She didn’t take days off.”

Jovani Fox, her granddaughter, said this week that Rep. Fox’s reputation for hard work and her commitment to standing up for less fortunate neighbors inspired multiple generations within her family.

“Her work shows up in the work that we do now,” said Fox, who works in government as well. “We grew up in that environment with many fond memories in the State House, which for me was like my other house, before grandma retire. Room 167 was home. She instilled in us a great sense of community and was always reaching down to lift up.”

When Fox gave her final speech to the House in late 2016, she recalled her efforts to fight poverty in the 1960s and how she has worked since then on community development initiatives in her Roxbury neighborhood.

"It's not going to end with this day. I do intend to be involved in many, many ways in community and human service and development," Fox said.

Alluding to the first transition to President-elect Donald Trump, she added, "We're going to have a lot of activity for these next four years and so I intend to be on the forefront of that, maybe not as a legislator but definitely as a concerned citizen with a lot of history of involvement."

She also told her colleagues in late 2016 that she wanted to take some time in retirement to continue work on a book about her life, which she said a filmmaking relative planned to turn into a movie.

"I won't tell too much about that," she said. "You can pay the money and see it when it's done."

“The Honorable Representative Gloria Fox paved a path, spurring a generation of leadership. She inspired young girls like me to have the audacity to lead and show up in spaces not built for me,” said Senator Liz Miranda of Roxbury.” Representative Fox was a tireless champion for our communities and a relentless advocate for criminal justice reform, child welfare, voting rights, and advancing the quality of life of those most marginalized. She was black and proud, and never left her fellow community members behind. In high school, I watched her fight to change New Dudley Street to Malcolm X Boulevard. To lead for three decades with the trust and praise of our district is a legacy that should never be forgotten.”

Rep. Chris Worrell, who represents the 5th Suffolk House district including parts of Dorchester and Roxbury, said: "Gloria Fox was a trailblazer and a tireless advocate for our communities. Her legacy of service and commitment to justice and equity has left an indelible mark on the Commonwealth. We honor her memory and strive to continue her work in building a more inclusive and equitable society for all."

In a statement issued on Tuesday afternoon, her family called Rep. Fox "a fierce advocate and champion of Roxbury, social justice, foster care and anti-racism measures,"

"Gloria aligned all of her work to serve the people of her district and her family. Gloria was committed to family, finding her late brother, whom she lost in the foster system. She was surrounded by family in her last moments. She leaves behind her two sons, Joseph D. Fox, Jr., of Boston, MA and Durrell J. Fox, of Atlanta, GA, eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and a host of immediate and extended family members."

Arrangements for Rep. Fox funeral will be made through Davis Funeral Homes in Roxbury and are still in the works.

State House News Service content contributed to this article.