[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 113 (Thursday, July 29, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6509-S6510]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO LOIS BAKER

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to Mrs. Lois 
Baker and the commitment she made to providing rural health care 
services to thousands of Kentuckians. Beginning in 1971, Mrs. Baker was 
the chief executive officer of Mountain Comprehensive Health 
Corporation, MCHC, which continues to provide the residents of eastern 
Kentucky with quality, affordable health care. Since opening its first 
location, a trailer located on the line between Perry and Leslie 
Counties, MCHC has become a fixture in the region, operating locations 
in five eastern Kentucky counties. Now, with 250 employees, MCHC 
proudly serves over 27,000 patients each year.
  Mrs. Baker's commitment to the Commonwealth extends well beyond her 
accomplishments at MCHC. A graduate of Fugazzi Business College and the 
University of Michigan's School of Public Health, Mrs. Baker served as 
president of Baker Coal & Land Company and as president of Letcher 
Manufacturing Company prior to becoming CEO of MCHC. As a member of the 
admissions committee for the University of Kentucky College of 
Medicine, Mrs. Baker proudly encouraged students from eastern Kentucky 
to pursue careers in the medical field and then to return home and 
utilize their skills to better the lives of their fellow Kentuckians.
  Following her recent passing, the Booneville Sentinel published an 
article commemorating the life and accomplishments of Mrs. Lois Baker, 
and I would like to share that tribute with my colleagues. I ask 
unanimous consent that the full article be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record as follows:

[[Page S6510]]

             [From the Booneville Sentinel, July 14, 2010]

       Lois Baker leaves a long list of achievements.
       Funeral services for the founder and past chief executive 
     officer of Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation (MCHC) 
     was held Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at the First Baptist Church 
     in Whitesburg.
       Lois attended Stuart Robinson High School, Fugazzi Business 
     College in Lexington, KY and the University of Michigan 
     School of Public Health.
       Before leading Mountain Comprehensive Health to become one 
     of the country's most successful rural health providers, she 
     worked in the coal business and operated a furniture plant. 
     She was president of Baker Coal & Land Company from 1959 to 
     1963, president of Letcher Manufacturing Company, Inc. in 
     1963 and became CEO of MCHC in 1971.
       The first MCHC clinic was located in Wooten on the Perry/
     Leslie county line, in a trailer. MCHC operates five clinics, 
     located in Letcher, Perry, Harlan and Owsley counties. MCHC's 
     team consists of 250 employees and provides services to more 
     than 27,000 patients each year. In looking back, Lois stated, 
     ``there was no way that at that time I could have imagined or 
     anyone else that was working at that time could imagine 
     Mountain Comp as it is today.''
       In October 1983, Lois extended her commitment of providing 
     quality healthcare services to the residents of Owsley County 
     and surrounding counties by opening the Owsley County Medical 
     Clinic. Owsley Medical Clinic is now a medical practice 
     consisting of two primary care providers and 15 employees 
     whose mission is to utilize all available resources to 
     provide affordable health care to those persons residing in 
     its service area. The Owsley Medical Clinic is an asset to 
     the area as well as a source of pride for Owsley County. 
     Thank you Lois for thinking of us!
       Lois served on many boards and committees. She was a member 
     of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Admissions 
     Committee. She said that if an eastern Kentucky student 
     applied to UK College of Medicine, they were accepted and 
     encouraged to come back to the mountains to practice 
     medicine. She was inducted into the Mountain Heritage Hall of 
     Fame, the National Association of Community Health Centers 
     Grassroots Advocacy Hall of Fame and the UK College of Public 
     Health Hall of Fame.
       Lois always had a vision and she never lost that vision. 
     She was always a pioneer in everything and never afraid to 
     tackle anything. She had a presence that seemed larger than 
     life and felt it was purely about helping people by providing 
     excellent health care. Lois's great passion for her work, 
     compassion for her staff and patients, and friendliness even 
     under stress made her a role model for all of us. She will be 
     missed greatly by many.

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