06 Jun Housewives of Toronto star Joan Kelley Walker opens up her heart off camera and shares what really matters to her, Woman to Woman.
I sat at a table in a quiet upscale restaurant waiting to meet Joan Kelley Walker, but when she sat down and spoke, I wasn’t expecting to hear what she told me.
She’s so much more than a Real Housewife of Toronto!
Joan Kelley Walker originated from a small town in Saskatchewan but that didn’t stop this now Toronto beauty from pursuing her passion. Charity work has always been an important part of Joan’s lifework. More than the glitz and glam of being a branded Real Housewife of Toronto, Joan likes to keep her focus on charity work, elevating other women, and of course her family.
Q: You’re originally from Saskatchewan. What brought you to Toronto?
A: I am from a town so small, it isn’t even a town, it is a hamlet called Wilcox. I was blessed with a grounded, humble, ‘normal” up-bringing. My Dad was a farmer, and my Mom was a nurse. Church and community were our foundation and therefore priority. They are still deeply rooted values that are instilled through the fabric of my being. At 16 or 17 years old, I had the urge to explore what I could do independently I wanted to see where life would lead me. There were only a few jobs available in Wilcox and very few career choices. My family and friends were so supportive that I knew if I ventured out and fell flat on my face, I could come home, without judgement. So in pursuit of happiness I spread my wings and took a leap of faith into the unknown to follow that inner voice.