An Unassuming Trailblazer

From a young age, Joan Anderson was attracted to science. When she was in fifth grade, she wrote an essay about what she wanted to do when she grew up. She wrote that she was drawn to chemistry because it was “the root of everything.” That fascination would eventually pull her away from her agricultural roots and into the field of pharmacy.

The firstborn daughter of Everett and Ruth Anderson, Joan was born May 17, 1937. She and her three sisters—Judith Semple, Margaret Brown, and Susan Jacobson—grew up on the family farm near Huntley, Wyoming, a small agricultural community located south of Torrington.

Everett and Ruth supported their daughters’ scholastic endeavors and encouraged them to pursue extracurricular activities. The Anderson sisters, with Joan as their leader, participated in school activities, music lessons and performances, 4-H projects, and church programs.

After graduating at the top of her class at Huntley High School in 1955, Joan left the farm to study pharmacy at the University of Wyoming, where she excelled in and out of the classroom. Her notable accomplishments included receiving the Lehn and Fink Gold Medal for outstanding academic achievement in pharmacy and being recognized as the outstanding woman in the senior class. She was active in numerous student organizations, including the Associated Women Students—serving as president her senior year—the national honor societies Mortar Board and SPURS, the American Pharmaceutical Association, and United Christian Fellowship.

Joan’s four years of academic excellence culminated in 1959, when she earned her bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from UW’s College of Pharmacy—now the School of Pharmacy. She held the distinction of being the only female graduate of the pharmacy college that year.

“She set her sights to do something, and then she went and did it,” says Margaret of her late sister.

Following graduation, Joan packed her bags and her adventurous spirit and embarked on the first of many international trips during her lifetime. Selected as a Fulbright Scholar, she studied pharmacology at the University of Oslo in Norway from 1959–60. She also took language classes, learned about Norwegian culture, explored the country, and formed lifelong friendships, including with a Norwegian farming family with four daughters.

When Joan returned to Wyoming, she worked at a pharmacy in Cheyenne. It wasn’t long before she packed her bags again. This time, she headed east to pursue a master’s degree at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science—the first pharmacy school in the U.S. She completed one of the first American Society of Health-System Pharmacists-accredited pharmacy practice residencies at Jefferson Medical College Hospital in Philadelphia from 1963–64. She then earned her master’s degree in pharmacy in 1964. In 1978, she earned a master’s degree in education from Temple University.

During her distinguished career, Joan practiced acute care pharmacy and served in administrative positions at Memorial Hospital of Laramie County—now Cheyenne Regional Medical Center—Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, and West Nebraska General Hospital—now Regional West Medical Center—in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. She was on the faculty at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science from 1981–2004, serving in various leadership roles. After retiring, she joined the UW School of Pharmacy faculty as the continuing education coordinator.

Joan was active in state, regional, national, and international organizations, including the American Pharmacists Association, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, and the International Pharmaceutical Federation.

Wherever she lived, she was involved in the community. During her many years in Cheyenne, she supported her church, volunteered at the Laramie County Library, participated in her P.E.O. chapter, and served with the League of Women Voters.

Although she enjoyed a rewarding career and remarkable opportunities, her life was not defined by accolades or accomplishments. Rather, it was marked by a humble attitude, a generous heart, and a caring spirit.

“She was just a really special person and unassuming,” Margaret says. “She was so good at drawing people out to talk about themselves and what was important to them. She was a caring person who did what she could to make things better for other people.”

“She was probably the smartest person in the room, but she never let on,” says Liz Victor, Joan’s niece. “She always had a book in her hand. She did not really care about stuff—she cared about knowledge.”

Over the course of her career, Joan passed on the knowledge she had gained to countless students, preparing them for a future in a field that fascinated her. In 2022, the UW School of Pharmacy named her its Distinguished Alumna in recognition of her many contributions to educating future pharmacists.

“She was always encouraging other people to reach their goals,” Margaret says.

Joan’s legacy will live on through a generous estate gift that supports three areas at UW—the School of Pharmacy, the Global Engagement Office, and Wyoming Public Media.

The Thirsty Acres Pharmacy Faculty and Staff Development Fund is used to support faculty travel, continuing education opportunities, seed grants for faculty research, or other faculty or staff development opportunities in the School of Pharmacy. It may be used to support endowed faculty fellowships, professorships, or chairs. Its name is a nod to the Anderson family farm.

The Joan Anderson and Sherry Montgomery Study Abroad Scholarship fund was established to create and support study-abroad scholarships. Sherry was a librarian for a pharmaceutical company in Philadelphia. She and Joan shared a close friendship and a love of travel.

The Joan Anderson Wyoming Public Media Student Scholarship fund was created to provide scholarships to students enrolled in or admitted to the university who are interns, externs, or volunteers at Wyoming Public Media. The fund reflects Joan’s appreciation for Wyoming Public Media and UW students.

“I think Joan felt that she had gotten a phenomenal start because of her education at UW,” Margaret says. “She wanted to make sure that other people could have that same opportunity.”