Associate - Joy Bartlett

Born in South Africa to an Air Force officer and his wife, Joy grew up surrounded by men in blue uniforms, listening to daily sonic booms, and riding in DC-3 every two weeks for shopping trips to Capetown. She spent much of her life with her eyes lifted to the heavens, following contrails through the blue sky that ran down to the sea.

Given this childhood, which included two brothers who grew up to aviation careers, it’s no wonder Joy was attracted to her aviator husband Michael, despite the fact that he was radical enough to associate with rotorcraft in addition to fixed-wing aircraft.

Four children later, this family of eagles migrated to the U.S. but never stopped flying. In the last ten years, Joy has visited all fifty states as well as much of Europe, between visits back home to Africa. She has developed a fascination with all things winged.

Joy has been first officer to her proficient pilot for 29 years, eager to navigate toward greener pastures and broader horizons. She now lives in the beautiful evergreen-clad mountains above White Salmon, Washington. For Joy, to live is to fly – whether on wings of metal or on the mighty wings of the Holy Spirit. In addition to flight, and nurturing her family, Joy’s time is consumed by gardening, care-giving and social work activities, writing, and praying.