Barbara B. McCarty

Slingerlands, New York

Date of Birth: February 21, 1907

Faith Community: Westminster Presbyterian Church, Albany

Nominators: Pamela Marvin and Lois Wilson, Westminster Presbyterian Church

Early Life: Barbara Baker McCarty was born in Portage LaPrarie, Manitoba, Canada in February 1907, the daughter of Herbert W. and Ethel F. Baker. The family subsequently moved to Ottawa. Barbara and her parents (both American citizens) moved to the Albany area in February 1915; at that time her half‑brother was already a lance corporal in the Black Watch Division of the Canadian Army. Her brother died in June 1920, his death an outgrowth of his experiences in the trenches of World War I where he had been "gassed." Today Barbara has no surviving relatives.

Although Barbara arrived in Albany in February 1915, she was not able to start school in the city until the following autumn because she had not been vaccinated. She vividly recalls the dirty conditions and need for renovation at the city school she attended. Because of her concerns, Barbara's mother spoke to the head of the Milne School. He agreed to allow Barbara to skip eighth grade if she could pass the eighth grade tests in English, spelling and arithmetic. Barbara easily passed all required exams and entered Milne as a freshman in the fall of 1921. She graduated from Milne with the Class of  1925 and remembers that the high school classes were good preparation for college. After high shool Barbara matriculated at Russell Sage College in Troy. She became the first of her family to receive a Bachelor's degree when she graduated in 1929.

Family: Both Barbara and her husband, Spencer McCarty, were extraordinary family caregivers. She supported her mother for 45 years, from the time of her father's death in 1932 until her mother died in 1977 at the age of 100. Spencer cared for an invalid sister (his last surviving sibling) and both parents for a number of years. Barbara and Spencer postponed their marriage for more than 10 years ‑ until 1952 when both were 45 years old and he was free to marry. They invited Barbara's mother to live with them, and she was with them for 23 years, until Mrs. Baker was 98 years old. (Mrs. Baker spent her last two years in a nursing home.) The couple was not free to travel until Mrs. Baker's death in 1977. Spencer McCarty died in 1981. Barbara then lived alone for 15 years in their Delmar home. In 1996 Barbara moved to the Beverwyck Retirement Community. Longevity runs in Mrs. McCarty's family, since both her mother and her maternal grandmother lived to be 100 years old.

Barbara and Spencer had one godchild, Terri Satterlee Glover, who now lives in Vermont with her husband. They both saw Terri regularly as she was growing up, and Barbara today is in close contact with both Terri and Terri's mother.

Career: Mrs. McCarty worked for 42 years, from 1929 until 1971. Her first job was at the New York Telephone Company. She subsequently was an administrative assistant at Russell Sage College, Assistant to the Director of the Albany Chapter of the American Red Cross, and Assistant Director of the Placement Bureau at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy. Training students for placement interviews was one of her responsibilities at RPI, and one of her rules for students was "Never order a drink when you are having an interview ‑ unless you don't want the job."

Volunteer Activities: Much of Barbara's and Spencer's time was taken with direct caregiving for their families. Nonetheless, Barbara has strong ties to the Presbyterian Church. Before she married, she was a member of Albany's First Presbyterian Church. She joined Westminster Presbyterian Church after she married Spencer McCarty, who was an active, life‑long member of Westminster. She has been an active parishioner. In 1986 Barbara traveled to England with the Westminster Presbyterian Church choir, which sang at various British cathedrals.

In Spencer's memory, Barbara contributed funds for a stained glass window at the Church, and helped to design it. The window is based on Psalm 150, "Let everything that hath breath, praise the Lord." One section of the window features choir members robed to resemble the Westminster choir.

Senior Activities: Barbara has enjoyed traveling. In addition to the Westminster choir trip, after her husband's death she took a trip back to Ottawa, where she had lived as a child. At the Beverwyck Retirement Community Barbara participates in activities and appreciates the range of options made available to her. She continues to live independently and to manage her own affairs. Her words of advice, "Travel while you can," suggest a keen awareness that all have only a limited amount of time to do what all would like to do ‑ given the combination of responsibility to others and the changes that develop with age.

Barbara Baker McCarty and her husband, Spencer, were exceptional family caregivers. Despite family responsibilities Barbara worked for 42 years, last serving as Assistant Director of the Placement Bureau at RPI. At age 94 Mrs. McCarty is a lovely, caring woman who always is beautifully groomed and who receives guests with great graciousness. Barbara continues to help look after others ‑ with a compassion that reflects her extraordinary years of service as a family caregiver. She continues to live by the standards of etiquette in which she carefully instructed students years ago. Although she may not have any living relatives, she is a friend to many.