About 20th Century Kalama: A Retrospective
Presented by Joanna Boatman, former mayor and founder of Kalama
History House
The Boatman family has been actively involved in Kalama town
history since their arrival in the early 1900s. Join longtime resident Joanna
Boatman for a first-hand account of the people and events that have shaped this
Columbia River community over the last hundred years.
About the Speaker:
Joanna Boatman was born in Kalama in 1930. Along with her
siblings, Bill and Illeanna, she was raised in a very tight-knit,
community-oriented household. Joanna’s father, Frank Boatman, served for years
as town marshal and a volunteer fire fighter, while her mother, Elizabeth, was
constantly volunteering her time to myriad local service organizations.
Following her parents’ example, in 1951 Joanna chose to dedicate
herself a life of service by entering the nursing profession. Then eight years
later, she joined the Kalama City Council, where she was elevated to Pro-Tem
Mayor in 1959, when the previous mayor resigned. At 28, she became the first
female mayor of Kalama. At the end of the appointed term, Joanna ran for the
office and was re-elected. And through it all, Joanna continued nursing.
In addition to civic governance, Joanna has been an active leader
in her vocational community, serving as both President and a member of the
Boards of Directors for Lower Columbia and King County Nurses Associations and
for Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA). During her more than 60 years
in the WSNA, Joanna consistently led the charge in advancing the welfare of
nurses. She is known by her peers as having, “elevated the image of nurses in
the operating room from that of the ‘doctor's hand maiden’ to a true and equal
partner of the surgical team.” In addition to her induction in the WSNA
Hall of Fame, the organization has established the “Joanna Boatman Staff
Leadership Award” in her honor.
At age 89, this remarkable person maintains her nursing license
and continues to provide care to Kalama residents. And most recently, Joanna
spearheaded a campaign to establish a local museum, Kalama History House, to
preserve and protect her hometown’s past.
