Joy Margaret Bonnington
March 15, 1921 – June 25, 2015
Joy Margaret (Pierson) Bonnington was born March 15, 1921, in St. John, Washington, to Walter and Nanny Pierson. As a child her nickname was “Joy Bell” which indicated a lifelong love of talk and conversation. She was the 1937 class valedictorian of Ewan High School.
After high school, Joy completed nurse’s training at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Washington. Joy then worked at Sacred Heart before enlisting in the Navy in June of 1943.
She spent the duration of WWII at Port Hueneme in California, where Navy personnel wounded in the Pacific Theater were returned to the mainland. Joy left service as a Lieutenant on July 4th, 1946.
Joy met Warren Bonnington while both attended the University of Washington in Seattle after the war. Joy and Warren were married in Spokane, Washington, on May 29th, 1947. After starting a family, they then began a ten year period of rapid movement, living in Oregon, Texas, California and Washington.
In August of 1965, Joy and her family relocated to the farmhouse near St. John where she had been raised. Joy began a long and engaging association with Dr. Rudy Gahler at his clinic in St. John. Joy worked there until she retired.
Joy enjoyed her work with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, becoming the Washington State President in 1985. Following the death her husband Warren, Joy moved to Bremerton in 1994 to be near her children. She was active in the Navy Nurses Association, her church and volunteered at the Navy Museum. Joy’s great passion in life was people, and especially her family. Joy also loved gardening, reading, and playing the piano.
In 2011, Joy entered assisted living in Seattle. She spent the final 14 months of her life at the Avamere Olympic Rehab Center in Sequim, where her daughter Keri is employed as a Geriatric Physical Therapist. Joy ended her life on June 25, 2015. She is survived by her children Julie Bonnington (John Figge) of Seattle, Cindy Wyman (Don Wyman) of Silverdale, Lance Bonnington of Walnut Creek, California and Keri Poffel (Jim Poffel) of Port Angeles, as well as her grandsons Jeff Wyman (Jessica Wyman and great grandson Sammy) and Ryan McCroskey.
We will dearly miss our mother, whose laughter, kindness, and good cheer filled our lives with a sunny, glass-half-full perspective. A graveside service will be held at the Pleasant Valley Cemetery in St. John on Saturday, July 11, at 2 pm. Refreshments will be served at the St. John Community Hall following the service.
