Mary Joan Bardell

Mary Joan Bardell, also known as Mary Jo Carpenter, passed away peacefully on November 9, 2023, at the age of 80.5 in Portland, Oregon. She was a Taurus, born just after midnight on April 28, 1943, in Rapid City, South Dakota, to the late Edna Luella Speer Carpenter and John Griffith Carpenter. When she was a wee baby her family moved from South Dakota to Oregon, living in Portland, Dexter, and Port Orford. Mary Jo served in the Navy from 1961 to 1968 and was proud to be associated with the military. She pursued a career in the medical field, starting in the Medical Corps of the U.S. Navy in Chelsea, Massachusetts. She then continued her nursing career at Gold Beach Hospital, and later worked in medical records at Newberg Hospital and Meridian Park Hospital in Oregon. Following a major car accident, involving her cherished MGB convertible, Mary Jo relocated to Newberg to live with Jesse and Dorothy Bales who helped her to convalesce and find solace and community at the Newberg Friends Church and George Fox College. She continued to value her faith and the spiritual connections she made within the church for the following six decades. She met her future husband John on a blind date at a bowling alley where, legend has it, she threw all 12 strikes - perfect score of 300. He was so enraptured by her athletic skills and competitive prowess that he put a ring on it 9 months later. Together, John and Mary raised their family and planted their gardens in the red hills of Dundee, Oregon, and they had a simply beautiful life until John's untimely passing in 2002. If you had known her then you would have likely loved her authentic personality: Mary Jo was an eccentric and quick-witted individual who embraced each day with humor and intellect. She was brutally honesty and had strong opinions, always ready to engage in a spirited debate – adding spiciness to many a holiday dinner. She was known to be a bit stubborn and stuck to her opinions like glue, however she also respected the choices and beliefs of others. She mellowed out in her twilight years and became her best self: charming, confident, thoughtful, and optimistic. With a love for vibrant colors, art, and music, Mary Jo was a true student of the world. She had a penchant for collecting antiques and visiting estate sales, garage sales, and Goodwill like she was on a treasure hunt. With a passion for genealogy that was shared with her sister, she spent countless hours researching family history and visiting cemeteries all over the world. Other guilty pleasures included reading raunchy romance novels, teaching others how to garden, playing solitaire like a boss, savoring wine and coffee with chocolate croissants and cinnamon buns, never missing an opportunity to visit Wendy's for a tasty burger, and checking in with @mrs_trufflepig on Insta for decorating inspiration. In her early years, she enjoyed traveling, exploring different cultures, and watching foreign films with subtitles. In addition, she had a deep love for animals, including her ginger cats and fluffy poodles. If asked to be quoted for her own obituary, she would have asked those of us left behind "to love one another, be grateful for each day, and only buy 100% cotton underwear." So, here's to you Mary Jo - the world is less bright without your sass and laughter, but we will carry on! Mary Jo leaves behind a legacy of love and cherished family members. She is survived by her loving daughters: Jennifer Bardell and her partner Joe Cathey; and Jessica West and her husband Matthew West. Her loving grandchildren, Samantha West and Nicholas West, also mourn her passing. Mary Jo will be dearly missed by her nieces, Cindy Wagner, Leesa Cobb, and Tami Corson, and by her nephews, Michael Riley Sgagna and Steven Wagner, and by her brother Jerry Carpenter. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John Bardell, and her sister, Bonnie Wagner, and brothers John Carpenter and Bill Carpenter, among others. A Celebration of Life in honor of Mary Jo Bardell will be held at Attrell's Funeral Chapel in Newberg, Oregon, on December 16, 2023, at 11am. In memory of Mary Jo and her love for animals, contributions can be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Mary Joan Bardell

April 28, 1943 - November 9, 2023