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Trailblazer Dies at 94
Nancy Kassebaum Baker, the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate without following a spouse into office, died at 94 on Friday, her son Bill Kassebaum told CBS News on Saturday.
“has died, her son Bill Kassebaum told CBS News on Saturday”
CBS News said she was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978 and served three terms, leaving the Senate early in 1997 while continuing taking on public service roles.
Themercury reported that Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker, the first woman to represent Kansas in the U.S. Senate, died Friday at age 94 and that the Kassebaum family confirmed her death in a statement.
KCUR said she grew up in Topeka and began her politics as a member of the Maize school board, then in 1978 defeated eight Republicans to seize the nomination for U.S. Senate in a contest to determine who took the seat held by retiring Republican U.S. Sen. James Pearson.
KCUR added that she prevailed in the general election with 53% of the vote and easily won reelection contests in 1984 and 1990 with more than 70% of the vote.
Tributes and Personal Praise
In a statement reported by Themercury, the Kassebaum family said, “For 94 years she relished the support of family and friends from all over the world,” and said her years were filled with “a deep love for Kansas.”
Themercury quoted Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly saying, “Kansas lost part of its soul when Nancy Kassebaum died,” and added that “Senator Kassebaum cared deeply about Kansas, about our country.”
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, told Themercury that Kassebaum was “one of a kind” and “deeply respected across our state,” and said her public service “embodied the institution of the served in the U.S. Senate at its best.”
CNN reported that Bill Kassebaum told The Associated Press, “She loved Kansas. She loved people from Kansas and representing Kansas for 18 years in the US Senate,” and described her as “an independent-minded Republican who was willing to stand up for what she thought was right.”
Legacy and What Comes Next
Multiple outlets said Kassebaum’s family planned a private memorial service at an unspecified date, with memorial donations directed to the Capper Foundation and the Kansas 4-H Foundation.
“Memorial donations are to be directed to the Capper Foundation”
Themercury said the family intends to conduct a private memorial service at an unspecified date and that memorial donations are to be directed to the Capper Foundation and the Kansas 4-H Foundation.
KSNT 27 News reported that Kassebaum served in the U.S. Senate from 1978 to 1997 and that her family stated there will be a private memorial service on a later date while requesting donations to the Kansas 4-H Foundation or the Capper Foundation.
Kansas City Star said Kassebaum moved back to her home state in 2014 following the death of her husband, former Tennessee Sen. Howard Baker, and that she took up residence in a stone house on the tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills.
The Topeka Capital-Journal said she died Aug. 21, 2026, according to a statement from her family, and noted she served in the U.S. Senate from Dec. 23, 1978, to Jan. 3, 1997—18 years and 11 days—before retiring.