Barbara Bonomi Stanton

Barbara Bonomi Stanton (Pickett)

Barbara Stanton was born May 10, 1931 to Joe (Giovanni) and Jessie Bonomi in Renton Washington. Her childhood and high school years were spent on the 200-acre Bonomi Family farm south of Issaquah, a beautiful natural setting, where she and her older brother Don were enveloped in the love of family.

In 1949 Barbara married Lee Pickett and they later moved to Marymoor farm in Redmond, where she and Lee operated a family dairy on land which is now the site of Marymoor Park. During their time on the farm, sons John, Tom, Brad and Scott were born, they enjoyed many adventures growing up on the farm.

In 1966 Barbara married James Stanton, an Army officer. They and her four youngest sons moved for two years to Steinfurt, a small village north of Frankfurt, Germany. During their time there her sixth son, Jamie Stanton, was born. Barbara and Jim returned to Kirkland for a short time, then moved to Pago Pago, American Samoa, for two years. There she volunteered for the local community while also learning to golf, play bridge and entertain in an international sailing community.

Barbara again returned to Kirkland, enrolling in college for the first time, eventually earning a Masters of Education at the University of Washington. Her independent and outdoor spirit then drew her to a teaching position in Klawock, Alaska, a small native village on Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska. She was loved by the community, helping children and their families deal with the challenges of special needs students. After 30 wonderful and adventurous years in Alaska, Barbara moved to the Skagit Valley to be closer to her family.

To say Barbara was a strong-spirited, independent and adventurous women would be an understatement. She was known in Alaska for her fishing prowess and her cold smoked salmon. Barbara travelled extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, particularly spending many summers in Italy, her ancestral home. All the while, she enjoyed watching her grandchildren succeed and grow into adulthood as well as lavishing her young great-grandchildren with love and affection.

Barbara was preceded in death by her brother Don Bonomi, sons Jamie and Steve and granddaughter Heidi Pickett. She is survived and lovingly remembered by her sons John, Tom, Brad and of Mount Vernon and Scott Pickett of Stanwood, Washington. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.