Joan Ford Wallick, the identifiable individual.
Joan Claassen Ford Wallick: A Life Well-Lived
Joan Claassen Ford Wallick, a beloved woman known for her warm hospitality and love of nature, passed away on June 20, 2025, in Big Horn, Wyoming. She was 94.
Born on May 13, 1931, in Wellsburg, Iowa, Joan grew up during the Great Depression. Despite the hardships, she developed a deep love of reading, which remained with her throughout her life. She received a scholarship to Coe College in 1948 and graduated as valedictorian of her high school class. At Coe College, she met her first husband, Wally Ford, with whom she shared a 9-year marriage from 1953 to 1961.
Joan's love for reading was evident in her wide-ranging book collection. But her passion extended beyond the pages, as she enjoyed birdwatching and the natural beauty of Belize, where she spent 13 years making an annual trip with family and friends.
In 1963, Joan married Bob Wallick and they spent over five decades together. Christmas was Joan's favourite holiday, and she transformed her home each year, creating magical memories for visitors. Her unique personal style, often featuring a denim skirt, fashionable blouse, favourite necklace, and concha belt, added to the festive atmosphere.
Joan was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies and earned her B.A. in Biology from Coe College in 1952. She was a caring hostess, making everyone feel at ease, and was survived by her sister, Barbara Claassen, daughters Anne Montgomery and Dr. Sarah Wallick, stepchildren Robert L. Wallick, Jr., Kay Wallick, and step-grandchildren Will Wallick and Lee Wallick, and great-granddaughter Dakota Wren Richmond.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents, brother Richard J. Claassen, sister Marilyn Roberts, and both of her husbands, Wally Ford and Bob Wallick. Online condolences can be written at www.kanefuneral.com. Champion Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.
A Celebration of Life for Joan Claassen will be held on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at 4:00pm at the Brinton Museum. While Joan Claassen Ford Wallick did not have any widely known public achievements, she touched the lives of many with her warm spirit and love for nature and reading. Her memory will be cherished by all who knew her.
