Joan Ray was born August 31, 1935 in Burlington, Iowa.
She graduated from Biggsville High School and later went on to receive a degree in nursing from Western Illinois University.
She married Eugene Ray, her husband of 23 years, in Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.
She is currently retired but worked for the Henderson County Health Department and Oaklane Nursing and Rehab for a total of 20 years.
She resides in Stronghurst, where she has lived for almost 30 years. Together, they have five grown children. Joan likes music and enjoys reading and sewing in her spare time as well.