Davies named to Heritage Court by Kiwanis Club
BY JONATHAN KANE
Joan F. Davies, who was named to the 2016 Heritage Court by the Kiwanis Club of Hailey, describes herself as “an Idaho native that just happened to be born in San Francisco.”
Returning to Idaho at 3 weeks of age, Davies grew up on the family farm near Hazelton and moved to Hailey after graduating from business school and marrying the student body president, John Davies.
She has lived here for the past 55 years, raising three sons and contributing significantly and enthusiastically to the cultural life of the Wood River Valley.
A self-described “outdoor enthusiast, naturalist, educator, historian, hiker, skier, artist, and gardener,” Davies is involved in numerous aspects of the Valley’s civic life. She has worked in the retail business and in magistrate court, and has been involved in preserving the history of the county for the Blaine County Historical Museum and the Idaho Heritage Trust.
Davies is active in adult education, a leader in the P.E.O. Sisterhood, an active member of Rotary and a leader of religious education at St. Charles Catholic Church.
Of the many local and statewide awards she has been given, Davies says one of her favorites is being named a “Persistent Planner” by the Hailey Planning and Zoning Commission, where she served for 15 years as a member and later chair of the board, where she helped craft the first comprehensive plan in the State of Idaho.
“I’m so honored to be named,” she said in an interview. “And I’m very humbled because there are so many people that have contributed so greatly to this beautiful Valley that we have and we don’t do it all alone. The women named are a real nice cross cut of the different people all over the Valley. It also brings the whole county together and everyone has a story and it’s so valuable as to why they came here.
“Even though I was born in San Francisco, at 3 weeks I came to Idaho; like a smolt salmon, I knew where my roots were,” Davies said with a laugh. “My parents bought it [the family farm] in 1929 and it’s where I grew up. I dearly love the value of land and I have an appreciation of the earthly things that made me who I am in the modern world.
“There are also the valuable lessons that I learned and carry with me today, like practicality and stability. These are ingrained values that you can apply to anything and it teaches you patience and sticking with things.
“Now I’m a full-time caregiver and that requires tenacity and I stick to the belief that all things work out. You have to work through things and accept things as they are.
“There is no greater place to spend the last 50 years than the Wood River Valley,” Davies said. “This is home and it’s a pleasure to be involved and watch the changes that have happened here.
“I wish the Valley was a little more homogeneous. We have been discovered and I hope that the future is a win-win for everyone. With the combination of nature and the mountains, and creative, intelligent minds, we have a bright future.”
HERITAGE COURT
This is the first of a four-part series about the four women selected this year for the Blaine County Historical Museum Heritage Court. Now in its 13th year, the Heritage Court was founded to honor women for their contributions to the history and heritage of Blaine County. A coronation ceremony for this year’s honorees is set for 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 12, at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey.