Dr. Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Dies

{Charleston, West Virginia}...Dr. Mildred Mitchell-Bateman died Wednesday evening at Charleston Area Medical Center's General Hospital at the age of 89. Her daughter, Donna Taylor of Charleston, says she had recently developed pneumonia. In 1962, Mitchell-Bateman became the first black woman to head a state agency when she was name director of the former state Department of Mental Health, a position she held for 15 years. Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington is named after her. A celebration of her life will be held at 2:00 P.M. February 4th at Bream Memorial Church in Charleston.