Joan Whalley was born in Wolverhampton, England. After her immigration to Canada Whalley enrolled at Ralph Brown Elementary School and Lord Selkirk Junior High School. Whalley graduated from St. John’s High School where she was a member of the track, basketball, and volleyball teams.

As a youngster, Whalley often sneaked into the old St. John’s Curling Club to watch matches but was never formally involved with the sport until the age of thirty, when her husband persuaded her to join the Deer Lodge Ladies Curling Club. Whalley took a keen interest the Business Girls League and the Junior Girls Development Program. She served on many executive committees, was elected President in 1959-60, and became an Honourary Life Member for her dedication to the organization.

Whalley’s relationship with the Manitoba Ladies Curling Association began in 1960 when she was the Chairperson of Ice and Draw and a member of the year book committee. The following year, Whalley was the Social Chairperson and First Vice- President of the Playdown Committee and was elected President in 1966-67. After her participation as an observer to the Canadian Ladies Curling Association (CLCA )annual meeting in 1966, Whalley was named the General Chairperson of the 1967 Canadian Championships that were held in Winnipeg.

In 1973, Whalley was the Second Vice-President for the CLCA and Chaired a committee that studied ways to promote female curling. This Committee prepared ajoint brief with the Canadian Curling Association to promote a uniform method of instruction for curlers, which became the basis of the current Curl Canada Program. In 1975, Whalley became the President of the Canadian Ladies Curling Association in and in 1981 was honoured with the CLCA Award for Dedication and Outstanding Service as well as induction into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame.