Joan Bence

Joan Alexandra Bence passed away on April 2, 2019 at age 94. She was preceded in death by her husband Leslie L. Bence in 1991, and by her son Steven D. Penner in 2010. She is survived by her daughter Carolyn Marie Barnard and son-in-law Ralston Barnard, grandchildren Christopher L. Barnard and John R. Barnard II, great grandchildren Alexandra, Jacob, Sarah, Gillian and Reeve Barnard, and over 14 nieces and nephews living in Australia.

Joan was born in Dartmouth, Devonshire, England, one of four siblings, to Lionel Charles Pillar and Caroline Louise Pillar (ne Cramer). The family moved to India, as her father was a colonel in the British army stationed in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The four girls and their mother moved to Brisbane, Australia. Joan emigrated to the US with her daughter Carolyn.  They lived in Minnesota for a while and then moved to the Seattle area.  After working for many years as a server and later the manager of a restaurant in Washington state, she retired to Albuquerque to be near her daughter.