D.C. First Lady Braved Her Husband's Storms With Quiet Resolve

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Effi Barry, 1944 - 2007
Effi Barry, former first lady of Washington, died of leukemia on the morning of Thursday, Sept. 6.

She described the trial as almost a relief, a protected space where she listened to stories she said she had not heard before. Next to her was her then-best friend, Cora Masters, who later became Marion Barry's fourth wife and a first lady herself when he won reelection after his release from jail.

Despite the divorce and public humiliation, she stood by her ex-husband to the end.

"Why should I change my name?" she asked. "Effi Barry, I am not ashamed to be Effi Barry. I am very proud to have been associated with Marion Barry, one of America's great politicians."

In her final months, Barry began researching genealogy and especially her white father. She believed he was named John Aron and lived in Pontotoc, Miss., but she never found him or a photo of him.

"I want to be able to find out about the other side of me that is still a mystery," she said. "Growing up, there were always whispers, and I knew I was different than the rest of the family. . . . Now my project is to be able to understand from whence I come, to bring closure."

Survivors include her son, Christopher Barry, and her mother, Polly Harris, both of Washington.

Staff writers Joe Holley and Nikita Stewart contributed to this report.