I was born on a California reservation in 1936. Frightened by the violence and poverty, I escaped to college, the first California reservation Indian ever to attend college. Life was pleasant, and education provided a secure home. Reminded by classmates that Indians didn’t go to college and that I would “flunk out,” I was the only student who obtained all As. I obtained a PhD and was hired by the psychology department at San Diego State (SDSU). For someone who had basically never talked to anyone, this provided a steep learning curve. A full professor at age 36, I moved from SDSU to the University of Utah, where I married Robert Barnhill and acquired two great stepchildren. Together we moved to Arizona State, where I worked with American Indian groups. Moving to the University of Kansas (KU), I wrote endless grants, garnering more than $35million for my projects. I worked closely with Haskell Indian Nations University and created collaborations that still exist. I was recognized in the White House with a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring from President Obama for this work. I continued to work at Haskell and KU into my 80s. With a balance between profession and family, I count it a good life.