E. Josephine Motes

1927 - 2022

E. Josephine (Bradford) Motes
July 8, 1927 - September 23, 2022
Lake Oswego, Oregon - E. Josephine Motes died peacefully at her home in Lake Oswego, OR, on September 23rd after suffering multiple strokes over the last four years. She was born near Martin's Bluff in Kalama, WA to commercial fisherman Clement and Elaine (Spreadborough) Bradford.
In most of her 30-year career in the Tacoma Public Schools system as a PE teacher, she was known as "Jo" O'Donahue or "Jo" Williams. She coached swimming and track at Foss, Stadium and Wilson high schools in Tacoma, and had her own tennis academy.
She is survived by her daughters Joni O'Donahue of Lake Oswego, OR and Helen (Justin) Wood of Pullman, WA; her younger sister Eva (Harry) Elliott of Sunnyvale, CA; nephews Bradford and Scott Elliott, niece Becky (Randy) Goettsch; stepdaughter Catherine Jackson and stepson Darrell Motes in Utah, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren though her late husband Alvin Motes. She was also preceded in death by her sons Daniel O'Donahue and Marvin Williams, former husband John O'Donahue, stepsons Don and Jeff Motes, her elder sister Helen (Bradford) LaRoy Fallert of Kalama, and her daughter Helen's father, Steven Williams.
A service will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints in Lake Grove, OR on Saturday, October 1st at 11:30 am. She will be interred at the IOOF cemetery in Kalama, alongside her parents and near many other relatives, neighbors and friends.