Obituary of Mary Anita Pontious

Mary Anita Pontious passed away April 4, 2020, in Lacey, Washington.  She was born October 24, 1924, to Jerome Trenton Chamberlin and Esther (Dobbins) Chamberlin in Long Beach, California. When Peggy was born, a nurse said she looked like a “Peggy.” Although she was officially named Mary Anita, her friends and family continued to call her Peggy. Over the years, she lived at Panorama Retirement Community in Lacey (2013-2020); Olympia, Washington (1991-2013); Rancho Palos Verdes, California (1962-1991); Normandy Park, Washington (1957-1962); and Lynnwood, California (1924-1957).

 

Peggy attended Compton Junior College in Compton, California (1940-1942), and earned a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1946.  She married Raymond Franklin Pontious (1924-1981) on June 8, 1947 in Lynnwood, California.  Professionally, Peggy was a secretary at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Olympia; St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Rolling Hills, California; Redondo Beach Redevelopment Agency in Redondo Beach, California; and Essex Manufacturing Co. in California.

 

Peggy had an artistic eye; she enjoyed crafts, flower arranging and was an avid gardener. The beauty of the landscape was always a joy and comfort to her throughout her life. She was an expert seamstress who created expertly tailored clothes for her daughters, who fondly remember the Easter dresses, prom dresses, and other special outfits she made for them as they were growing up.

 

She and husband Ray shared a sense of fun and adventure, and the family enjoyed many vacations spent camping, fishing, hiking and biking. Peggy also enjoyed the arts, particularly dance and theater and encouraged her daughters to pursue their interest in art and music through their college and professional careers.  Daughter Susan’s passion for horses became a family pastime when both daughters rode and showed their horses, and Peggy and Ray spent many weekends at horse shows supporting their daughters.

 

One of Peggy and Ray’s deepest interests was other people. Perhaps nothing is more characteristic of the couple then their mutual willingness to open their hearts not only to friends and family, but also to strangers from far away. When daughter Teri was in high school, Peggy and Ray agreed to host a foreign exchange student for a year, becoming “parents” to a Greek teenager. A couple of years later when their church sponsored a family of Vietnamese refugees, Peggy and Ray volunteered to have them live in with them for several months while they got settled in the United States. 

 

A good athlete, Peggy played excellent tennis as a young woman, and continued to play golf well into her later years.  A mid-life health crisis inspired her husband, Ray, to encourage her to take up bicycling. Together they set the goal of improving her health enough that they could tour Europe on their bikes.  Though it was a challenge at first, Peggy, Ray and four of their friends worked to became fit enough cyclists that they were able to bike through Europe twice, as well as take many domestic bike trips.

 

Ray’s death in 1981 was a major crisis in Peggy’s life. She struggled to overcome the devastation of her grief and forge a new, independent life. With determination and courage, she eventually succeeded.  Peggy toured Europe once again with her bike group, and she continued to bike for health and pleasure well into her 70s. Other notable travel adventures included a walking tour of Tuscany, Italy; a ferry trip through the fjords of Norway; and a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon.  After moving to Olympia in 1992, Peggy, with friends from Westminster Church, traveled to Egypt and Israel.

 

A woman of deep faith, Peggy’s life revolved around the church, which sustained her religious, social and community life. It was also at times her employer as she served as the church secretary for both St. Luke’s and Westminster churches.

 

She was a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Olympia (1993-2020), and St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Rolling Hills (1962-1993), where she served on Church Session. Previous to that, she was a member of John Knox Presbyterian Church in Normandy Park, Washington (1957-1962).  She was always an active member and volunteer who participated in a number of associated social and service groups. She was a member of the Mary and Martha Circle at Westminster Presbyterian in Olympia and the P.E.O. Sisterhood associated with Panorama Retirement Community. 

 

Peggy pledged with the Alpha Tau Sorority in college and remained involved with the sorority to raise funds for college scholarships for women.  She was also always very involved in supporting the organizations that her daughters were involved in as they grew up. Upon moving to Olympia, she participated in a writing group at Panorama, and performed with the Reader’s Theater. She also volunteered for the Nisqually Land Trust.

 

Everyone knew Peggy as a warm, generous person with a wry sense of humor who was devoted to her family, friends, church and community.  When there was a need, she was always someone who tried to do what she could do to help.  She had great empathy for other people and knew how to listen to others. Her family and friends will keenly feel the loss of her support, understanding and sage advice. Though Peggy herself faced a number of difficult periods in her own life, she managed to face these challenges with great resolve and courage. The experiences of her life culminated in a woman who lived her later years with fierce independence.

Peggy is survived by daughters, Teri (Pontious) Poff of Seattle, Washington, and Susan Pontious of Oakland, California; grandchildren, Shannon (Poff) Shively of Seattle, Kelly (Poff) Wesley of Olympia, Colin Poff of Seattle, Skylar Saltz of New York, New York,   and Morgan Saltz of Oakland; and great grandchildren, Fox and Fern Wesley and Emmett Shively.  She was predeceased by her husband, Raymond Franklin Pontious; parents; and sister, Elaine (Chamberlin) Ball.

 

Due to the Coronavirus Shelter-in-Place directives, a celebration of Peggy’s life will be postponed until a later date.

 

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