MARJA BAKKER 1947-2006
BOSTON -- Marja Bakker, an organizer of the Boston Marathon andthe only female president of the Boston Athletic Association RunningClub, has died. She was 59.
Ms. Bakker died of cancer Saturday at her home in Medford, saidJack Fleming, athletic association spokesman.
She joined the Boston Athletic Association Running Club in 1978and became its president in 1982. She was the first and only femalepresident of the club in the organization's 119-year history, Flemingsaid.
In 1984, she was elected to the athletic association's Board ofGovernors, the first female to serve. In 1987, she became staffadministrator of the Boston Marathon, a position she held untilrecently.
'Marja Bakker always gave the gift of making everything andeveryone around her a little better than they thought they could be,'association president Thomas Grilk said.
Ms. Bakker also served on the board of governors for USA Track &Field-New England, the regional governing body for the sport of roadrunning and track and field.
Ms. Bakker was born in Vlaardingen, the Netherlands, on April 20,1947, and was a Dutch citizen.
The Boston Marathon has been held on the same day as her birthday16 times, according to the athletic association.
Earlier this year, the association made a successful bid, largelyfacilitated by Ms. Bakker, to host the women's marathon U.S. Olympicteam trials on April 20, 2008 -- again Ms. Bakker's birthday.
