Merlyn Mantle

Mantle was born in Cardin in Ottawa County in far northeastern Oklahoma.[1][2] She was the first of two daughters born to Giles and Reba Johnson.[3] She had a sister, Pat, who was three years her junior.[4]

While attending high school, she met Mickey Mantle two years before his debut in Major League Baseball.[1] Mickey was a baseball player at Commerce High School, while Merlyn was a cheerleader at the rivaling Picher High School.[1][2] Their first date took place at a movie theater along the famed Route 66 in Miami, Oklahoma.[2]

On December 23, 1951, Merlyn married Mantle, following his rookie season with the New York Yankees.[1] The couple had four sons: Mickey, Jr. ((1953-04-12)April 12, 1953 – December 20, 2000), David (born (1955-12-26)December 26, 1955), Billy ((1957-12-05)December 5, 1957 – March 12, 1994), and Danny (born (1960-03-19)March 19, 1960).[1] They remained married for 43 years, until Mantle's death in 1995, although they were estranged during his final years.[2] Mantle died of liver cancer on August 13, 1995.[2] Their son, Billy, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, but died of a heart attack in 1994, aged 36.[2] Another son, Mickey Jr., died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2000, aged 47.[2]

Merlyn Mantle was treated for alcoholism at the Betty Ford Clinic, a disease which also afflicted her husband and three of her sons.[2] In an interview with the New York Daily News shortly after her husband's death in 1995, Merlyn Mantle spoke of the negative impact that alcohol had over her family's life: "I was in there partying and doing the same thing as Mick. That was our life and I was part of it; I can't deny that. It ruins families."[5]

In 1996, Merlyn co-wrote a memoir of Mickey Mantle's life entitled Hero All His Life.[2] The book was co-written with her sons, Danny Mantle and David Mantle, and writer Mickey Herskowitz.[5]

Merlyn Mantle and Greer Johnson, Mickey Mantle's agent and former live-in aide, became involved in a legal dispute over the rights to auction off Mickey Mantle's possessions in 1997.[2] The two sides reached a settlement, ensuring the sale of some of Mickey Mantle's belongings for approximately $500,000.[2]

Merlyn Mantle's last public appearance was on August 5, 2008, at a dinner for the memorial service of former Yankees player Bobby Murcer.[5] She was unable to attend Murcer's service the following morning because of health issues.[5]

Merlyn Mantle died of pneumonia at a hospice in Plano, Texas, on August 10, 2009, at the age of 77. She had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.[1] She was interred next to her husband and two sons at Dallas's Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery.[1][2]