Joan Mondale Remembered

1984 pin

Joan Mondale passed away on Monday. She was a veteran of three presidential campaigns, various statewide campaigns for U.S. Senator and Attorney General of Minnesota. She herself was never a candidate, she just ended up marrying Walter 'Fritz' Mondale, who would himself seek the White House in 1984.


While she supported her husband in his various runs for political office, she lived her own life. Born in 1930 in Eugene, Oregon (hey that's our state!). She grew up with a love of all the arts passed on from her mother.

After attending art college, she even wrote a book called Art in Politics (1972) , and how political commentary is viewed through the various mediums artists use.

She never considered herself a critic, expert or art historian but in her professional and free time she tried to pass on that love of art to others. While her husband was in the Senate she gave tours regularly for Washington Whirl-Around a company that provided tours of the capitol mall in the 1970s.

During her White House years in the 70s President Carter appointed her honorary chairman of Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities. Mondale was also a prominent supporter of equal pay for equal work of women and the E.R.A. 

She is survived by her husband Walter Mondale and two grown sons.  She was 83.

I only found a couple items that featured Joan Mondale on them.

This one appears to be from 1976 and features both Joan and Rosalynn Carter.


Here is a pin from a DFL Dinner that contains a minor mistake, we'll see if you can spot it.

One final Joan Mondale button

I'm sure over the next couple weeks we'll hear more about her role as 'Joan of Art' and what her legacy will be through the eyes of those that knew her.