Barbara Ann Day

Barbara Ann Day was born in Seattle on May 26, 1941, and spent most of her adult life in Western Washington before moving to Ellensburg in 2017.

Barbara graduated from Port Angeles High School in 1959, and then attended the University of Washington where she earned a teaching degree before marrying Dennis Day, the father of her three children, in 1961. Shortly after they married, Barb took her first teaching job in Massachusetts and Dennis joined the Army. Barb taught elementary school just outside of Boston for a short time until the Army took them to England where their son, Patrick, was born in 1964.

Following Den’s military service, the young couple moved back to Washington, Dennis took a job at Boeing, and they had two daughters, Catherine, in 1968, and Christina, in 1971. They settled into a home in Woodinville, Washington where Barb taught at Leota Junior High, earned a Master of Arts in History from UW, and they raised their three kids together, spending many joyful summers at their cabin on Camano Island.  In 1985 the marriage ended, and Barb moved to Chehalis, WA to teach history at W.F. West High School.

Throughout the course of her teaching career, she specialized in current world issues and Holocaust education. She traveled extensively to Poland and Israel, making significant contributions to Holocaust curriculum, and was involved in educational outreach at the opening of the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C.  In 1991, she had a home built in Olympia, WA and later was a school counselor at Capital High School until her retirement in 2004.

In retirement, Barb was a dynamo as usual, sailing in Puget Sound, playing the 6-string guitar, traveling to China, and even writing a novel in 2007. She also enjoyed tending to her yard and garden, and was devoted to two long-lived and very vocal cats, Susie and Socks. A beloved mother and grama, above all else she loved her three children, ten grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

In 2017, for health reasons, she moved to Ellensburg, Washington and was a feisty but popular resident first at Meadows Place, then Pacifica Senior Living, and finally, Grace Manor, LLC, where she passed peacefully on February 28, 2024 surrounded by love and laughter, with her family by her side.

No formal services are planned; however, Barb loved music and she really loved to dance! This spring, when the weather is warm and the leaves are dancing too, a Celebration of Life Dance Party will be held at Grace Manor in her honor.  All who knew her will be welcome. Notification of this event will be posted on her family’s Facebook page.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Johnston & Williams of Ellensburg.