Danice "Joy" Baker (Dirksen)

BAKER, DANICE JOY, 64, of Huntsville, Tenn., formerly of Pekin, wife of former U.S. Sen. HOWARD H. BAKER Jr., died Saturday, April 24, 1993, at her home. 

Born Feb. 10, 1929, in Pekin to EVERETT M. and LOUELLA CARVER DIRKSEN, she married HOWARD H. BAKER Jr. in 1951. Her husband, who served in the Senate from 1967 to 1984 and was chief of staff for President RONALD REAGAN from 1987 to 1988, survives in Huntsville. 

Also surviving are one daughter, CYNTHIA "Cissy" BAKER of Washington, D.C.; one son, DAREK of Brentwood, Tenn.; and three grandchildren.  She was a graduate of Mount Vernon Seminary and earned a degree in history with a minor in political science from Bradley University. She served on the boards of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Ford's Theatre, Bradley University, Knoxville College, Mount Vernon College and the Knoxville Symphony Society. She was awarded a Lincoln Medal in 1985 for her work for Ford's Theatre. She was vice president of the Dirksen Congressional Center in Pekin.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church in Huntsville. Visitation will be from 6 to 8:30 tonight at Mann's Heritage Chapel in Knoxville, Tenn. Burial will be in Mossop Cemetery in Huntsville. There will be no local services. Memorials may be made to Huntsville Presbyterian Church Cemetery Development Fund. 

(Source: Peoria Journal Star, 26 Apr 1993, pC8)

• FindAGrave: Danice Joy (Dirksen) Baker

See also:

• Rome News-Tribune, April, 26, 1993 - source for cause of death