Lieutenant Governor. Born in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania suburb of McKees Rocks. Catherine was the daughter of Nick Baker, a successful man who later served as mayor of McKees Rocks and Teresa May Baker. A graduate at Duquesne University, she would meet and marry Charles A. Knoll, a restaurateur and hotel owner 17 years her senior. Charles and Catherine had three sons and one daughter, she had another child before her marriage to Charles. Catherine began her political career as a campaign worker for local and statewide Democratic candidates, first for her father, Nick, and later for Governor Milton Shapp. When Shapp was elected governor in 1970, he awarded her a job with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. In 1988, one year after her husband's death, she ran a third time and was elected State Treasurer of Pennsylvania. In 2002, she sought the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor. She won the nomination over endorsed candidate, State Senator Jack Wagner and insurgent State Senator Allen Kukovich. Catherine was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor on January 21, 2003. She was the first woman to hold that position. Despite her critics, she maintained a key base of supporters. She was popular with voters in Pennsylvania's southwest, with many women, and with senior citizens. On May 16, 2006, Catherine won the Democratic nomination by a large margin. On November 7, 2006, she and Governor Rendell defeated Republican challengers Lynn Swann and Jim Matthews. Upon her death, Pennsylvania State Senate President pro tempore Joe Scarnati became the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. Catherine died of neuroendocrine cancer, at the age of 78.
Lieutenant Governor. Born in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania suburb of McKees Rocks. Catherine was the daughter of Nick Baker, a successful man who later served as mayor of McKees Rocks and Teresa May Baker. A graduate at Duquesne University, she would meet and marry Charles A. Knoll, a restaurateur and hotel owner 17 years her senior. Charles and Catherine had three sons and one daughter, she had another child before her marriage to Charles. Catherine began her political career as a campaign worker for local and statewide Democratic candidates, first for her father, Nick, and later for Governor Milton Shapp. When Shapp was elected governor in 1970, he awarded her a job with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. In 1988, one year after her husband's death, she ran a third time and was elected State Treasurer of Pennsylvania. In 2002, she sought the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor. She won the nomination over endorsed candidate, State Senator Jack Wagner and insurgent State Senator Allen Kukovich. Catherine was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor on January 21, 2003. She was the first woman to hold that position. Despite her critics, she maintained a key base of supporters. She was popular with voters in Pennsylvania's southwest, with many women, and with senior citizens. On May 16, 2006, Catherine won the Democratic nomination by a large margin. On November 7, 2006, she and Governor Rendell defeated Republican challengers Lynn Swann and Jim Matthews. Upon her death, Pennsylvania State Senate President pro tempore Joe Scarnati became the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. Catherine died of neuroendocrine cancer, at the age of 78.
Bio by: Shock
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