Artist - Wife - Mother - Aunt - Joan was the youngest of 12 children born to Anderson and Blanche Franklin. She was born September 4, 1912 in Duncan, Oklahoma and raised there and was the last child left at home. At the age of 9, she went by Carol Imogene. She later became Joan Carol. In high school she was a member of an all girl's basketball team and was working as a clerk in 1934 when her mother moved to California. She continued living with her father for about six months then he sold his blacksmith shop and they both went to California to join her mother. She met Chet Shuler and married him in 1935. During World War 2, she worked to support the war effort. Joan was a member of the Woman's Ambulance and Defense Corps of America in Culver City. She corresponded with Chet in Panama for the duration of the war.
For eleven years she cared for her widowed father in her and Chet's two-bedroom home. They were elated when they were allowed to adopt an infant boy. They named him Paul and asked Anderson to not be at home when the adoption overseers came to inspect the house because they were supposed to guarantee the baby had his own room. Joan's father was livid and packed his bags and moved in with another of his nine daughters. He never stayed with them ever again! No matter, Chet and Joan raised Paul, who had been a joyous addition to their lives.
Meanwhile, in the 1960's, Chet presented Joan with a present of paints and canvas. Joan laughed and tucked the gift into a closet for quite a long time. Joan's sister, Inez, was the painter, not her. Chet recognized that she also had a creative streak. Finally, Joan dug out her new paints and began a fruitful career as a painter. She sold many of her canvases in all types of medium and gave a large amount away. She would paint neighbor children and relatives' portraits. Examples of each type of medium she worked were always on display in her home in San Juan Capistrano - oils, watercolors, and sculpture. When Joan was in her mid 80's and visited her nephew Ernie Thom's home, she found a gallery of her paintings he had purchased. Joan was very happy to see her work on display.
She and Chet celebrated their 60th anniversary together before finding out that he had a terminal illness. Since his passing, Joan would have an evening toast to her Chet each evening - a very strong martini - the kind without the vermouth or the olive! Her step-grandson lived with her in San Juan Capistrano. She was very close to her late son's wife, who helped her celebrate her 87th birthday in September, 1999. Joan was the last of her immediate family to pass away. She died March 25, 2000 and her daughter-in-law had her ashes scattered at Dana Point in Orange County.