Joan Anderson

Joan Marie Anderson, 87, died at her home after a short illness in early March. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, May 19, at First Presbyterian Church in Cheyenne. Graveside services will be held at the Torrington Cemetery at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20.

Joan was born on the family farm in the Huntley community on May 17, 1937. She was joined by sisters Judith (Semple), Margaret (Brown) and Susan (Jacobson) over the next 10 years, but Joan was always their leader. Her parents, Ruth (Nichols) and Everett Anderson, encouraged the girls as they participated in school activities, 4-H projects, music lessons and performance, and church groups. Family gatherings usually resulted in basketball or softball games, organized by Joan and included their cousins.

After graduating from Huntley High School, she was the only woman in the University of Wyoming’s College of Pharmacy class of 1959 and then became a Fulbright Scholar, studying at the Pharmacology Institute at the University of Oslo in Norway from 1959–1960. She also completed one of the first accredited pharmacy practice residencies at Jefferson Medical College Hospital (1963–64) while also earning a master’s degree in pharmacy from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (1964). Later, she earned a master’s degree in education from Temple University College of Education (1978).

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.

She was on the faculty at the first U.S. pharmacy school, the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science from 1981–2004, serving in leadership roles as vice chair, interim chair and assistant dean. After retiring, she moved to Torrington to care for her mother. She joined the faculty of UW’s School of Pharmacy as the continuing education coordinator.

Everywhere she lived, Joan was involved in the community. She traveled regularly to visit friends in many countries. She was active in and held leadership positions in state, regional, national, and international pharmacy organizations. She was a member of Phi Kappa Phi national scholastic honor society, the Rho Chi national pharmacy honor society, and the Fulbright Alumni Association. She was named the 2022 Outstanding Alumna for the UW School of Pharmacy, honoring her many contributions to the education of future pharmacists.

After Joan moved to Cheyenne, she continued her many activities. She was a member of the League of Women Voters of Cheyenne and Chapter BA, P.E.O., volunteered at the Laramie County Library, and enthusiastically supported the Cheyenne Organ Concert group and the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra.

She was predeceased by her parents, sister Susan, and brothers-in law Donald Jacobson and William Semple. She is mourned by her sister Judith Semple; sister and brother-in-law Margaret and Kermit Brown; an uncle, Clark Nichols, and nieces and nephews Elizabeth (Justin) Victor, E. Lindsay Semple (Debora), Erik Jacobson and Erin Jacobson, her Nichols and Anderson cousins, great nieces and nephews, and many friends.

In light of Joan’s varied interests, those who wish may donate to the organizations where they are connected.