Joan Quigley

Joan Ceciel Quigley

Joan was fortunate to be the dearly loved daughter of John Baird and Zelda Marks Quigley. Joan was the valedictorian of her class at the Sarah Dix Hamlin School and graduated with honors from Vassar College.

After college, Joan returned to San Francisco to lead a life filled with volunteer work, the Junior League, docent work at the De Young Museum etc. Joan also led a very active social life filled with parties and courtship. Joan became the toast of the town, one of the most beautiful women in a city known for its beautiful women. During this period of her life, Joan also learned astrology and began to practice the discipline that would take her to the highest point of her profession.

After writing a series of articles for Seventeen magazine, Joan used the nom de plume Angel Star for "Astrology For Teens" published in 1968. Joan also appeared many times on the Merv Griffin Show during the '60s and '70s. When Nancy Reagan, then First Lady of California, asked Merv for the best astrologer he knew, Merv recommended Joan.

Joan worked as a volunteer on both of Ronald Reagan's presidential campaigns even though she knew that Reagan would not win the nomination in 1976. During the 1980 campaign before becoming the Republican nominee, Reagan misspoke on Taiwan. The campaign manager checked Joan's daily guide to find that she had warned in red that Reagan might misspeak on foreign policy that day. After that incident, Joan's advice was followed religiously.

When Reagan won the presidency, Joan went on to other projects. After the assassination attempt, Nancy Reagan called Joan to ask if she could have predicted it. Joan said that she could have had she been following his chart. Nancy then asked Joan to take on the responsibility for keeping Reagan safe. Since 1860, all presidents elected in zero years have died in office or been assassinated. Joan asked for 24 hours to think it over and then agreed.

While working with the Reagans, Joan modified Nancy's image, convinced Reagan to stop referring to the USSR as an "Evil Empire" and said that the President would be able to work with Gorbachev to achieve his goal of ending the Cold War. Joan timed Reagan's first meeting with Gorbachev in Geneva, the meeting at Reykjavik and all subsequent meetings. Joan helped defuse the Bitburg controversy and kept Reagan under wraps during Irangate. Joan was the teflon in the "Teflon" presidency. Joan wrote a book about her Reagan years called, "What Does Joan Say?" (1990)

Joan also wrote two other books, "Astrology For Adults" (1969) and "Astrology For The Parents Of Teenagers And Children" (1971) and published a monograph, "An Essay In Honor of Mohandas K. Gandhi" in 1999.

Joan had a very lively, creative and original mind. A published author and brilliant astrologer, Joan was also a gifted jewelry designer and artist. Joan had a mesmerizing kind of charm, a dry wit and did not suffer fools gladly. Joan loved art, opera, ballet and symphony. Joan also loved to travel and enjoyed fine food and wine.

Joan is predeceased by her loving parents, John B. and Zelda M. Quigley and dear friends Dr. Albert Shumate, Marge Townsend and Ann Witter. She is survived by her devoted and grieving sister Ruth and friends VV de Margitay, Virginia Warner, Flo Eyre, Lovice de Reviczky, Katerina Cambron and Romy Babajian. Joan was cared for in her final illness by her loving caregiver Tima Nawai and visiting nurse Lourdes Torres.

A memorial is planned at a later date. Donations may be made to the San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Ballet, Fine Arts Museums or the charity of your choice.