“I’m not lucky, I just take advantage of opportunities that come my way,” said San Juan Islander, Barbara Carnahan Fry. “And I’m kind of a wanderer. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”

Barbara’s eighty-five years began in Ligonier, a small town in western Pennsylvania, where she was one of the many Smiths in the area. Her father, Roland Smith, the only child of a mining engineer, set up shop and married Helen B. Smith. Though Barbara’s own marriage to Bob Fry didn’t work out, she has retained his name. She explains her middle name, “I’m a Carnahan and proud of it,” as she settles into her bright rose-colored Irish knit sweater.

An eager student at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Barbara was captivated by the gowns and cowls worn by graduating medical students, and promptly enrolled in medical school. She settled on ob-gyn as her specialty. “It’s incredible to deliver a baby. I loved it,” she said. She began medical school during the war when a certain percentage of applicants were from each branch of the service with the remainder of slots available for other students. There were 175 students in her class, 21 were women; 133 graduated, 20 were women. “There were a couple women from Communist China, one from the Philippines, one African American, so it was quite an interesting group.” Barbara graduated in 1948 and during her residency visited some friends in Seattle where she found the opportunity to join Northgate Medical. There was some resentment of women in medicine. Since many of the females married and did not practice, women were accused of taking the place of men. “We were called ‘hen medics.’” Referring to her specialty, Barbara says, “I practiced at a time that was wonderful. Now the technicalities and machines have come and there is overwhelming paperwork. You were able to have some kind of relationship with your patients without the fear of being sued.

“When I was in medical school, I knew a woman who adopted children. I was single when I came to the west coast and remembering that woman, I decided to adopt. That was my only first. I was the first single woman in Washington to adopt a child. My older son was a preemie and was 52 days old when I took him. My second child came to me when he was five days old. I’m sure I wouldn’t be who I am right now if it weren’t for those two boys. Raising those kids was the pivotal part of my life.” Gregory and Chris are now in their 40s and both live in Seattle.

“I didn’t travel much while I was in practice and had my two little kids, although in the 70s I had my German phase. We went to Germany just about every other year. I couldn’t imagine after being influenced by World War II, that I would love Germany. I loved the people and I loved the language. Mostly we hiked.” In 1976, Barbara, her boys and some friends “hiked the Chilkoot Trail that the gold miners took to go into the Yukon. Neither of my boys hikes anymore.

“When I retired, I had a brochure over my desk with a penguin on it. I’ve always loved birds. I rewarded myself with a trip to Antarctica.” Barbara observed the ship doctor on that trip, assumed she could do that work and met a fellow traveler who had just joined Society Expeditions. “Now that’s where opportunity and timing comes in.” Soon she placed her name on the list for ship doctors. Receiving her first request to go to Manaus, “I said sure. Where is it?”

That 1987 trip to the Amazon led to other adventures. She bought her San Juan Island home in 1981, left her medical practice in 1986 and immediately after moving to the island in 1988, she became the doctor on a three-month cruise through the Northwest Passage. The tour was rapidly followed by a two-month journey to Antarctica and South Georgia. After she completed a couple more excursions, she decided she was too far away from medical training to continue her position.

A love of books led her to Skagit Valley College and the opportunity to teach. Her first class series was on the explorers of Antarctica, eight classes, 2 ½ hours each. “I’m almost as proud of creating these classes as I am of my M.D. Now I have created three courses in addition to Antarctica—the Northwest Passage, the Oregon Trail, Lewis and Clark—and I’ve been teaching since 1992. People seem to like traveling vicariously.”

This self-proclaimed dreamer and wanderer still volunteers at the library or enjoys having lunch someplace while Gus, her faithful Shih-Tzu companion, waits patiently in the car. “I’m beginning to accept myself now that I’m 85,” she admits.

If you would like to suggest someone for Spotlight on Seniors please e-mail editor@islandsweekly.net.