Joan Mondale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joan Mondale
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Mondale in 1977
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| Second Lady of the United States | |
| In role January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981 |
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| Vice President | Walter Mondale |
| Preceded by | Happy Rockefeller |
| Succeeded by | Barbara Bush |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Joan Adams
August 8, 1930 Eugene, Oregon, U.S. |
| Died | February 3, 2014 (aged 83) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Ted, Eleanor, and William |
| Education | Macalester College (BA) |
Joan Mondale (born Joan Adams; August 8, 1930 – February 3, 2014) was an important figure in American politics and arts. She was the wife of Walter Mondale, who served as the 42nd Vice President of the United States. This made her the Second Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981. Joan Mondale was also a talented artist and author. She was well-known for her strong support of the arts, earning her the loving nickname 'Joan of Art'.
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Growing Up: Joan's Early Life
Joan Adams was born on August 8, 1930, in Eugene, Oregon. She was one of three daughters. Her father, John Maxwell Adams, was a Presbyterian minister. Her mother was Eleanor Jane Hall.
Joan went to several different schools as she grew up. These included Media Friends School in Pennsylvania, a public school in Ohio, and St. Paul Academy in Minnesota. In 1952, she graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul. She earned a bachelor's degree in history. After college, she worked at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
Family Life: Marriage and Children
On December 27, 1955, Joan married Walter "Fritz" Mondale. He was a lawyer from Minneapolis. They had met on a blind date.
Joan and Walter Mondale had three children:
- Ted Mondale (born 1957) became a politician in Minnesota. He was a State Senator and ran for Governor.
- Eleanor Jane Mondale Poling (1960–2011) was a television and radio personality. She passed away at age 51.
- William Hall Mondale (born 1962) worked as an Assistant Attorney General for Minnesota.
Political Journey: Second Lady
In 1964, Joan's husband, Walter Mondale, became a U.S. Senator. He served in this role until 1976. That year, Jimmy Carter, who was running for president, chose Walter Mondale as his running mate. They won the election.
This meant Joan Mondale became the Second Lady of the United States. She held this position from 1977 to 1981. She followed Happy Rockefeller and was later followed by Barbara Bush.
Joan Mondale was a strong supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment. This amendment aimed to ensure equal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. She often spoke out publicly to support this cause.
After Walter Mondale's term as Vice President ended, he ran for president in 1984. During the campaign, Joan Mondale was expected to become the First Lady. She told a reporter that she wouldn't talk about recipes or clothes. However, some political opponents criticized this. To show she was a "traditional wife and mother," she published The Mondale Family Cookbook. It included recipes like "Fettucine à la Pimento Mondale."
Walter Mondale lost the election. The family returned to Minnesota. Later, Walter Mondale served as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 1993 to 1996. After that, he went back to his law practice in Minneapolis.
Joan of Art: A Passion for Creativity
Joan Mondale was known for her deep love and support of the arts. She was an artist herself and helped many art organizations. Her famous nickname, 'Joan of Art', truly showed how much she cared about art.
She was a skilled potter and studied art in college. She also worked in art galleries. When she moved to Washington D.C. in 1964 as a Senator's wife, she gave tours at the National Gallery of Art. In 1972, she wrote a book called Politics in Art. This book looked at how political ideas are shown in artworks.
As Second Lady, Joan Mondale made the Vice Presidential Mansion a display of American art. She filled it with works by famous artists like Robert Rauschenberg and Edward Hopper. During this time, she also led the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities.
When her husband was the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, she continued to promote art. She decorated the Embassy with American paintings. She also organized tours with guides who spoke both English and Japanese. She studied Japanese art and even made a ceramic bowl in the traditional Mashiko style. She gave this bowl to the Mayor of Kyoto, which impressed him greatly.
She also wrote a book called Letters From Japan in 1998. It was a collection of essays about her experiences living overseas.
Back in Minnesota, Joan Mondale kept making pottery and supporting the arts. She served on the boards of the Minnesota Orchestra, Walker Art Center, and the National Portrait Gallery. In 2004, an exhibition space was named in her honor, the Joan Mondale Gallery.
Later Years and Passing
On February 2, 2014, Joan Mondale's family announced that she was receiving special care due to Alzheimer's disease. She passed away the next day, on February 3, 2014, in Minneapolis. She was 83 years old.
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