Joan E. Pratt, a longtime resident of Bainbridge Island, WA, died peacefully in her sleep on November 12, 2022. She was 93.
She was born Joan Evon Spicer on August 20, 1929 to Walter T. and Madeline Spicer of Defiance, OH. Her young parents were thrifty and hardworking in a small city suffering deeply from the Great Depression. Joined by her younger brother Walter in 1933, the family of four traveled the country through World War II with her father working as a negotiator with the US Department of Labor. This first glimpse of the American West made a lasting impact on Joan. Back East, the family moved from Ohio to Brockton, MA. Joan graduated from Brockton High School but returned to Ohio to family and friends to attend Ohio Wesleyan College. During one summer, she and a girlfriend drove West to Phoenix, AZ where Joan worked as a car hop at a drive-in burger joint. She had fond memories of her summer adventure and the rugged Western landscape. Upon graduation, Joan was enticed into teaching a class of gifted Fifth and Sixth grade students in the Brockton School District. She enjoyed these years very much.
Joan married Richard W. Pratt in 1956 and raised three children in Westport Point, MA. For more than 30 years, Joan’s roots were firmly planted in this coastal New England town. She was a devoted wife, mother and community volunteer. She helped establish the Westport Public Library, was active in the Westport Point United Methodist Church, and supported her children’s education by serving in numerous positions at Friends Academy and Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth MA.
In her early 60s, Joan’s path led her to Jackson, WY to live near her sons. She thrived in this town along the Snake River, making new friends and enjoying the cultural life and natural beauty of the area. After the birth of her first grandchild in 1993, the pull to Bainbridge Island became strong. Here she settled in, enjoying the warmth of fellowship and community service at Eagle Harbor Congregational Church, volunteering in the Bainbridge Island School District and being a loyal cheerleader at her grandchildren’s many athletic events and performances. Her life’s happiest moments were spent with her extended family and many friends.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents and a son, Charles Howard. She is survived by her brother Walter L. (Thea) Spicer of Dublin, OH and her children: Warren (Holly) Pratt of Wilson WY, Sarah (Svend) Brandt-Erichsen of Bainbridge Island, WA and David (Lisa) Pratt of Kennebunk, ME. Her eight precious grandchildren include Kali, Ainsley, Haley, Axel, Keely, Sophie, Charlotte and Meyer.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Eagle Harbor Congregational Church on January 21, 2023 at 2 p.m. All are welcome. In accordance with her wishes, Joan’s family will release her ashes into the Snake River later this Spring.
Her family is deeply grateful for the compassionate care Joan received at Martha and Mary, Poulsbo, WA the last years of her life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to this organization as well as to Eagle Harbor Congregational Church.
