According to the ALDHA website, Dorothy Laker has passed away at age 85. She was the second woman to thruhike the AT. She did it 3 times NOBO - 1957, 1964, and a third time in sections between 1962-1972.
Her words about her hikes are in the first volume of 1975 book set "Hiking The Appalachian Trail". They cover just over 200 pages, the longest of any writer in the set. If anyone is interested (and doesn't already have a copy of the books), send me a PM and I'll try to get a copy of those pages to you.