Athena

October 23, 1932 — April 3, 2021

Joy Nell Salter died on April 3, 2021, at the age of 88 at the local care facility in Athena, Oregon.

Joy was born to Frank and Minnie Begley in Kiowa, Oklahoma, on October 23, 1932. She graduated from Kiowa public schools, then married her high school sweetheart, Bill Ward, in 1950. They moved to Prineville, Oregon, where they had two sons, Frank and Jim. They remained in Prineville until 1961 when the family moved to Athena, Oregon, where Joy would live and call home for the rest of her life.

In Athena Joy raised her two sons and watched both of them graduate and go on to college, which she was so very proud of. She also babysat and cared for many of the local children while her kids were in school and for years after her own children were grown and gone. She loved each child as if they were her very own and enjoyed having kids around.

After her divorce from Bill she held many odd jobs, from bookkeeping at the local feedlot to driving grain trucks during harvest, but the job she was most proud of was her career as a paraeducator at Athena public schools, doing what she loved most, which was caring for children.

It was through this job that she met her soulmate, Gaylord Salter. The two would later become married in 1993 and even though they found each other later in life they absolutely adored and loved one another deeply. As they went on into retirement the couple filled their time going to the many athletics and extracurricular activities that their grandchildren were involved in. It didn’t matter if it was a roping, rodeo, basketball games, dance recitals, school plays, music concerts, golf, or track meets. She never missed an event and was also very proud of all of her family’s accomplishments.

Joy is preceded in death by her spouse Gaylord Salter, mother Minnie and father Frank, brothers Frank Jr. and Willie, and sister Neva. She is survived in death by son Frank Ward (Caroline) and granddaughters Lacy Holechek and Whitney (Jon) Thompson; son Jim Ward and granddaughters Lindsey Stern and Ashley (Wes) Wells, and great-grandchildren Josey and Colt Wells.

Due to Joy’s passion for athletics, the family has requested in lieu of flowers or gifts to send any monetary donations to the Athena-Weston Booster Club in memory of Joy.

She is being laid to rest with her mother in Prineville, Oregon, at a private ceremony with immediate family. A celebration of life will be announced at a later date for those wishing to attend.

Family would like to extend extreme gratitude to Tammara Pittman and her staff at The Athena House for the great and loving care they gave Joy the last few years.