Carolina Isakson Proctor

Carolina Isakson de Barco (born Mary Caroline Isakson, January 6, 1930 – January 14, 2012) was an American and Colombian artist and philanthropist who served as first lady of Colombia from 1986 to 1990 and previously as first lady of Bogotá from 1966 to 1969 as wife of Virgilio Barco Vargas. She is the second naturalized citizen to become first lady, the third first lady born abroad after Cecilia de la Fuente de Lleras (wife of Carlos Lleras Restrepo), the first and only Lutheran first lady and the second to have a profession after María Michelsen de López (wife of Alfonso López Pumarejo).

Mary Caroline Isakson was born in York, Pennsylvania, her family moved to Cúcuta, Norte de Santander when she was 7 years old. She changed the typing of her name to Carolina and adopted her mother's maiden name Proctor to adapt her name to the Spanish naming customs resulting in Carolina Isakson Proctor. At the age of 14 she moved to Palo Alto, California to attend the Castilleja School where she would finish high school. She would later finish her Latin American Studies at Stanford University and obtain a master's degree in Spanish at Boston University.

Carolina and Virgilio met through Virgilio's sister Edelmira who was Carolina's schoolmate. She supported and accompanied her husband during the 1986 presidential campaign.

Early life, education and family Mary Caroline Isakson was born in York, Pennsylvania on January 6, 1930. Her father Carl Oscar Isakson worked as a petroleum engineer in Tampico, Mexico. His family settled in Cúcuta, Norte de Santander thanks to the work of his father who worked as an engineer for Ecopetrol.

Carolina and Virgilio met in Cúcuta when she was a classmate of Virgilio's younger sister Edelmira. They married on July 1, 1950 in the Cathedral of Cúcuta.

At 14 he moved to California to finish his studies, complete his high school studies and begin his university studies. Carolina studied Latin American Studies at Stanford University and would later obtain a master's degree in Spanish Language at Boston University.

During her husband's administration, she helped to create, and then directed, a national anti-poverty program, "Bienestar," which was established in February 1987 to provide food and day care for Colombian's poorest children. She also served as presidente of the board of directors of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare.

Death Preceded in death by her parents and husband, she died on January 24, 2012, in Bogotá, D.C., Colombia.