Bob Barker, the legendary former presenter of the popular TV game show “The Price Is Right” and a supporter of animal rights, died on Saturday morning. He died at the age of 99 due to natural causes.

He married Dorothy Jo Gideon in 1945.

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Who was Dorothy Jo Gideon?

Dorothy Jo Gideon was born on February 25, 1924. She was the wife of Bob Barker. They got married in 1945. After more than four decades together, she died on October 19, 1981

In an interview with PEOPLE in 1999, Barker expressed, “I’ll never marry again. Dorothy Jo was the love of my life.”

Bob Barker’s love story with his future wife, Dorothy Jo Gideon, began at an Ella Fitzgerald concert when he was still in high school in Missouri. They started dating when he was just 15 years old.

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After high school, Barker pursued his education at Drury College, now known as Drury University, in Springfield, Missouri. He attended on a basketball athletic scholarship and became a member of the Epsilon Beta chapter of the Sigma Nu fraternity at Drury.

In 1943, during World War II, Barker joined the United States Navy Reserve with the intention of training as a fighter pilot. However, he did not serve on active duty. During a military leave, he and Dorothy Jo tied the knot on January 12, 1945, marking the beginning of their lifelong journey together.

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In 1972, Bob Barker began his illustrious term as host of “The Price Is Right.” But when his wife Dorothy Jo unexpectedly died from lung cancer in 1981 at the age of 57, his life took a dramatic turn. This particular loss inspired Barker to become an activist for animal rights and an animal rights advocate. Using his platform to advance the cause of animal welfare, he ardently backed groups like the United Activists for Animal Rights and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.