Joy Dirksen Baker
- Category : 1929-births
- Type : MGP
- Profile : 3/5 - Martyr / Heretic
- Definition : Single
- Incarnation Cross : RAX Explanation 1
Biography
American noted family, the only child of Senator Everett Dirksen, who served as the Majority Leader for years. She also was the wife of Senator Howard Baker; they were married on 12/22/1951. An alcoholic, the death of her dad in the fall of 1969 precipitated severely heavy drinking. Baker was passed over by President Ford as a running mate due to her drinking problem. In and out of clinics for years, she was once in a hospital for eight months. She went to psychiatrists and AA, which helped her to stay dry for a while, but then went back to binge drinking. In 1987 she was diagnosed with cancer.
Died of cancer on April 24, 1993, Huntsville, TN.