Barbara Eugenia Penney, V’68, a former faculty member in Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine, passed away on December 25, 2021. She was 87.

Born in Washington, D.C., Dr. Penney graduated from Tufts University, then received a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Penn in 1968. She completed her residency at Penn Vet and joined the faculty there in 1973 as a resident in anesthesia. She rose through the ranks at Penn Vet, becoming an assistant instructor, then a lecturer and an associate. She left Penn in 1983 to join the faculty of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Maryland. She also was involved in the professional sphere, working in the animal research division of NIH for many years, and she was a practicing veterinarian until the late 2010s. 

Outside of her professional obligations, Dr. Penney held an assistant handler’s license and traveled on dog show circuits with breeders and handlers. She also had passions for local history and community involvement, sitting on the advisory board of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. and several other conservation organizations. She was also a founding member of Taneytown (Maryland) Baptist Church. 

Dr. Penney is survived by her sister Susan Penney (Timothy) Allport; nieces and nephews Linda Allport McDermott, Alicia Penney Corson, Nolan Penney, and Andrew Allport and their spouses; and ten great nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother Richard Penney. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

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