Barbara Davis has lived in Glencoe for 43 years and is a retired nurse and corporate executive. Today she volunteers at Evanston Hospital and at the Chicago Botanic Garden. She and her husband, Harold, have three adult children and two grandchildren.
Q: What made you move to Glencoe in the first place?
A: I had heard positive things about the community, but the primary reason was based on the excellent schools.
Q: How has Glencoe changed over the years?
A: My generation has grown older and the population I was familiar with is aging and starting to die off. I think the newer generation does not seem to have as strong of a sense of community as existed in previous generations. It is also less diverse, as we have fewer black people now. It is a reflection that people have more choices, and of the economic climate.
Q: What did you enjoy about being a nurse and working today as a hospital volunteer?
A: I always wanted to be a nurse and I feel my grandmother influenced that because she was a midwife. I have always enjoyed the patient interaction, and no matter how small, I think I made a difference in people’s lives.
Q: What did you as a corporate executive?
A: I was the global director of renal therapy services (dialysis centers) for a company that was headquartered here but had partnerships with centers outside of North America. I had a nursing and teaching background, so they were looking for someone to manage the clinical aspects of the business. I did that for 15 years before I retired. With that job, I was able to travel throughout the world.
Q: Is there one part of the world you would still like to see?
A: High on that list would be Australia and that dates back to my childhood when I heard about the Tasmanian Devil and how our drains run counter to the way they do in Australia. My interests have broadened since then, but that was and is the foundation of my interest.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
Shout Out is a weekly feature in which we get to know and introduce our readers to their fellow community members and local visitors throughout suburban Chicago. Check out more online at ChicagoTribune.com/ShoutOut.
