Agatha Pinney is an elementary school teacher and one of the club's founders. Over the course of the novel, Agatha becomes addicted to pain medication (opium) which is prescribed to her, a condition that leads the other club members to doubt her ability to continue in her job. Agatha, thus retires, and lives off her pension. Over time, she finds herself unable to aquire the medicine she needs to soothe her addiction and attempts to commit suicide. She is successful.
--and Ladies of the Club