Joan Hartley Hotchkis

September 2, 1937 - September 5, 2025 Joan Hartley Hotchkis (September 2, 1937 – September 5, 2025), a devoted philanthropist, passionate patron of the arts, and beloved wife of John F. Hotchkis- Los Angeles businessman and co-founder of Trust Company of the West and the investment firm Hotchkis & Wiley- passed away peacefully on September 5, 2025, in Los Angeles, California, surrounded by her family.
Joan Hotchkis was born in San Francisco and graduated from Endicott College in Massachusetts. She cultivated an early and enduring appreciation for art, design, and culture that guided her throughout her life. Joan began her career at Sotheby's Auction House in Manhattan, where she honed her expertise in jewelry, textiles, and antiquities. After relocating to Los Angeles, she rose to become Vice President of Communications and Promotion at Sotheby's. With a discerning eye and a passion for beauty, she traveled the world in search of rare and exquisite objects- curating art, fabrics, and treasures that she lovingly wove into the distinguished homes she and her husband created in Bel Air, Pasadena, and St. Malo.
In March 1982, Peter O'Malley, then President of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his wife, Annette, invited Joan and John to join them at a Dodgers game. For Joan and John, it was love at first sight. What followed was a storybook romance, culminating in a moonlit evening at the Cipriani Hotel in Venice, Italy, where John knelt in the garden beneath a full moon and asked Joan to be his wife. The two were married for 34 wonderful years, until John's passing in 2017.
Joan's dedication to philanthropy was as vibrant as her love for the arts. A true fixture in Los Angeles' cultural community, she devoted her life to ensuring that future generations would continue to benefit from the institutions she so passionately supported. Since 1994, she served on the board of the Council of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles, which honored her in 2016 with the prestigious Light of Learning Award for advocacy, presented by Sherry Lansing, former CEO and Chairwoman of Paramount Pictures. From 2000 to 2003, Joan led as President of The Blue Ribbon, the Music Center's premier women's support organization and one of its most significant sources of philanthropy. Her service extended nationally as well, as a Trustee of the Kennedy Center. In Los Angeles, her impact was profound- she joined the board of the Los Angeles Opera in 1988, later becoming an Emeritus Trustee of the Music Center, and she endowed the Los Angeles Philharmonic with the John F. Hotchkis Banner Conductor Chair at the Hollywood Bowl.
Beyond her public contributions, Joan was cherished for her warmth, elegance, and devotion to family and friends. She was a proud member of both the California Club and the Los Angeles Country Club, where she shared her love of community and tradition.
Joan is survived by her step-children, John Hotchkis Jr., Sarah Ketterer (Alan Vorwald), Mark Hotchkis (Ellen Hotchkis), and Carey Hotchkis (Tara Hotchkis); eight cherished stepgrandchildren- Haley, Lauren, Perry, Tristan, Hayden, Chase, Ellery, and Jack; and her sister, Judy Cleary.
Her legacy is one of generosity, refinement, and an unwavering passion for the arts. Joan Hotchkis will be remembered as a guiding light in Los Angeles' cultural life and as a woman whose grace and spirit enriched all who knew her.