ALF Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 Some days a go a check which I proud own came to my attention. The check is from May 1963 and signed by Carroll Shelby for JOAN SHELBY. Who is JOAN SHELBY?? A parent of CS? Does any one know Joan?? Thanks for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DubbsFaris Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 In about 1962, Carroll's secretary and live-in girlfriend's name was Joan Cole, and she was instrumental in getting Carroll a deal with Ford Motor Co., they were not married, but at the time, having a live in G-friend was faux pas, and she was known to many as Joan Shelby. At the time Carroll and Joan had a small apartment in Playa Del Rey, which was very close to the Venice facility. Somebody correct me if that information is not entirely accurate, but I do remember reading it somewhere not too long ago. Hope that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbymotorsports Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 In about 1962, Carroll's secretary and live-in girlfriend's name was Joan Cole, and she was instrumental in getting Carroll a deal with Ford Motor Co., they were not married, but at the time, having a live in G-friend was faux pas, and she was known to many as Joan Shelby. At the time Carroll and Joan had a small apartment in Playa Del Rey, which was very close to the Venice facility. Somebody correct me if that information is not entirely accurate, but I do remember reading it somewhere not too long ago. Hope that helps! Sounds about right from what I recall except I'm not sure how instrumental she was on getting Carroll a deal with Ford. She was Carroll's secretary/personal assistant, girlfriend and I think future wife during a good chunk of the 60's but I have to think the deal Shelby struck with Iacocca was all done with Carroll's smarts, luck and Texas charm. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500FLYBOY Posted December 4, 2009 Report Share Posted December 4, 2009 And I believe some of the early advertisements of Shelby's with a girl - was actually Joan as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALF Posted December 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 That's interesting!! Is she the lady on Dave Freidman's book "COBRA - The Shelby American Original archives 1962-1965" **** Link to Book ***** page 10 and 17??? -> "Buy it!...or watch it go by!" Press kit? :happy feet: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildAzCat Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 Nice pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyb Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 Nice pic. Carroll had 2 wives named Joan I believe, he did not "live" with joan cole but she was very important in his life, and job, she was a business manager, but they didnt call it that back then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 There are several segments of interviews with Joan in the video "The Snake and the Stallion". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cari Cole Posted September 29, 2019 Report Share Posted September 29, 2019 Joan Cole died in 2015. She was my biological mother. She ran off with Carroll Shelby and I basically never saw her again except for a couple of encounters later in her life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirpubsaf Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 According to what I found, Carroll Shelby wasn't married to a "Joan" at least that's according to what I found googling the info. The first employee of Shelby American was Joan Sherman and they did live together. "Shelby was married seven times. Shelby's first wife was Jeanne Fields; they married on December 18, 1943. They had three children: Sharon Anne (born September 27, 1944), Michael Hall (born November 2, 1946) and Patrick Bert (born October 23, 1947). They divorced in February 1960; Shelby later admitted to an extramarital affair with Jan Harrison, an actress.[37] In 1962, Shelby married Harrison, but the marriage was annulled the same year.[38] His third marriage to a New Zealand woman, which he entered in order to get her into the United States, lasted only a few weeks before ending in divorce. His fourth marriage, to Sandra Brandstetter, lasted a couple of years before ending in divorce. In 1989, after 28 years single, Carroll married Cynthia Psaros, a former actress, beauty queen, and daughter of a retired US Marine colonel fighter pilot. During this marriage, Carroll received his long-awaited heart transplant. Their marriage lasted a few short years before ending in divorce. In the 1990s he married Helena "Lena" Dahl, a Swedish woman he had met in 1968. She died in a car accident in 1997. It was his only marriage which did not end in divorce, annulment, or separation. Just four months after Dahl's death, Shelby married his last wife, Cleo, a British former model who drove rally cars. She was 25 years his junior. They were in the process of divorce when he died in 2012. I can't find anything showing what involvement "Joan Cole" had with Carroll Shelby. Perhaps it was under some other name or she went by Joan Shelby? https://books.google.com/books?id=06YEAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA247&lpg=PA247&dq=Carroll+Shelby+and+Joan&source=bl&ots=c2jHSyemCa&sig=ACfU3U1Hm3Ej16-7xbwH945LchA9XsfeqQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiSteL3rNroAhWBLc0KHRrMB7A4ChDoATAEegQIDBAo#v=snippet&q=Joan cole&f=false Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirpubsaf Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 On 12/4/2009 at 11:22 AM, DubbsFaris said: In about 1962, Carroll's secretary and live-in girlfriend's name was Joan Cole, and she was instrumental in getting Carroll a deal with Ford Motor Co., they were not married, but at the time, having a live in G-friend was faux pas, and she was known to many as Joan Shelby. At the time Carroll and Joan had a small apartment in Playa Del Rey, which was very close to the Venice facility. Somebody correct me if that information is not entirely accurate, but I do remember reading it somewhere not too long ago. Hope that helps! Her name was Joan Sherman. I can not find a reference to Joan Cole anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DubbsFaris Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 Yes, but if you just google Joan Cole, you will find plenty of leads on that. Here is one book that has her name as Cole- https://books.google.com/books?id=pUPV5FtEh-MC&pg=PA107&lpg=PA107&dq=joan+cole+shelby&source=bl&ots=TRKtrKohIi&sig=ACfU3U26sx8h1yAr0SNC6ajTJuckS7__sw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwirudq9wNvoAhVEM6wKHbnEDZ4Q6AEwEnoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=joan cole shelby&f=false also, right here in this thread you will find a previous President of Shelby American and someone even claiming to be her daughter. Wow-btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhr1961 Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 There are also videos on line of Joan Cole talking about her days with Carroll and working at Shelby back in the day. Picture from The Snake and The Stallion, as mentioned by 2BJShelbys above post dated from December 9,2009. and according to a recent post by someone claiming to be her daughter, Joan passed away in 2015. R.I.P. , and condolences to her daughter. and there was also a Joan Sherman in Carroll's life referenced in some books, but most pictures of her show her as a brunette, apparently they are the same person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirpubsaf Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 2 hours ago, DubbsFaris said: Yes, but if you just google Joan Cole, you will find plenty of leads on that. Here is one book that has her name as Cole- https://books.google.com/books?id=pUPV5FtEh-MC&pg=PA107&lpg=PA107&dq=joan+cole+shelby&source=bl&ots=TRKtrKohIi&sig=ACfU3U26sx8h1yAr0SNC6ajTJuckS7__sw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwirudq9wNvoAhVEM6wKHbnEDZ4Q6AEwEnoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=joan cole shelby&f=false also, right here in this thread you will find a previous President of Shelby American and someone even claiming to be her daughter. Wow-btw. I saw someone claiming to be her daughter, but it was just that a claim. I don't know about you, But I wouldn't take an online post consisting of a single sentence by an unknown person as evidence of anything. And if it's true, I would love to hear the story of why she went by two last names. Previous marriage? Someone along the way get her last name wrong and others ran with it? As Shelby collector, I have my reasons for trying to verify "Joan F. Cole" I couldn't find anything to support the name "Joan Cole" after quite a bit a research. Wow - Btw, "I can not find a reference to Joan Cole anywhere." was all I stated. Why do fellow enthusiasts have be that way towards each other? And it's only online. Yet, you felt the need to attempt to belittle me and act as if I couldn't read. Sad, because I'm sure If we met in person we would shake hands and get along. Take care my friend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirpubsaf Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 8 hours ago, mhr1961 said: There are also videos on line of Joan Cole talking about her days with Carroll and working at Shelby back in the day. Picture from The Snake and The Stallion, as mentioned by 2BJShelbys above post dated from December 9,2009. and according to a recent post by someone claiming to be her daughter, Joan passed away in 2015. R.I.P. , and condolences to her daughter. and there was also a Joan Sherman in Carroll's life, but most pictures of her show her as a brunette. Thank you very much for the info. It's all very confusing and hard to figure out what is what. The biography "Carroll Shelby: The Authorized Biography" states Joan Sherman was his first employee and they lived together. https://books.google.com/books?id=06YEAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA247&lpg=PA247&dq=Carroll+Shelby+and+Joan&source=bl&ots=c2jHSyemCa&sig=ACfU3U1Hm3Ej16-7xbwH945LchA9XsfeqQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiSteL3rNroAhWBLc0KHRrMB7A4ChDoATAEegQIDBAo#v=snippet&q=Joan cole&f=false I wonder if Joan Sherman later remarried and became Joan Cole and became a blonde? I have some memorabilia with Joan Cole's name which is why I am trying to confirm who was who. Here is another article "Remembering Carroll Shelby (1923-2012)" that shows Carroll driving a Cobra with Joan Sherman. https://www.sportscardigest.com/remembering-carroll-shelby-1923-2012/2/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirpubsaf Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 On 9/29/2019 at 11:25 AM, Cari Cole said: Joan Cole died in 2015. She was my biological mother. She ran off with Carroll Shelby and I basically never saw her again except for a couple of encounters later in her life. Cari, First, I am sorry to hear of the passing of your mother. Secondly, can you shed some light on the confusion between Joan Cole and Joan Sherman? And could you please tell me your mother's middle name? Thank you very much for any information you can provide and take care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhr1961 Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 This should clear it up. Here is an obit, maiden name may have been Cole, then married a David Sherman.She is also surved by a Cari Cole so the above post by a Cari Cole may be legit. This obit looks like Joan and fits the time frame. Its has a video memorial to her life at the link below , pictures of her as a brunette and a blonde and pictures with Shelbys. Again condolences to the family. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/west-palm-beach-fl/joan-sherman-6566681 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirpubsaf Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 Awesome! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 49 minutes ago, dirpubsaf said: I don't know about you, But I wouldn't take an online post consisting of a single sentence by an unknown person as evidence of anything. You seem to be making a lot of contradictory claims as well. From a one-hit-wonder to boot. So what are your credentials? It's pretty hard to have any credibility when you, with no credentials, try to discredit someone else. As I said earler, view "The Snake And The Stallion". I believe a pirated copy can be found on Youtube these days. My memory of the old Shelby American Collection parties is vague - so many people were always up to speak about the old days - but I'm sure that there was someone who was referred to as "the dragon lady" that reminisced... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirpubsaf Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 1 minute ago, twobjshelbys said: You seem to be making a lot of contradictory claims as well. So what are your credentials? I'm clearly posting my references and sources. I am merely trying to clarify who is who. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 35 minutes ago, dirpubsaf said: Cari, First, I am sorry to hear of the passing of your mother. Secondly, can you shed some light on the confusion between Joan Cole and Joan Sherman? And could you please tell me your mother's middle name? Thank you very much for any information you can provide and take care. You're unlikely to get a response since she has visited this site only once and never returned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirpubsaf Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 14 minutes ago, twobjshelbys said: You seem to be making a lot of contradictory claims as well. From a one-hit-wonder to boot. So what are your credentials? It's pretty hard to have any credibility when you, with no credentials, try to discredit someone else. As I said earler, view "The Snake And The Stallion". I believe a pirated copy can be found on Youtube these days. My memory of the old Shelby American Collection parties is vague - so many people were always up to speak about the old days - but I'm sure that there was someone who was referred to as "the dragon lady" that reminisced... I am not trying to discredit anyone. I've stated my where my information came from. Why is everyone so hostile? The only civil person in this has been mhr1961. I've learned my lesson and will stay off the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500FLYBOY Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 Well that clears that up. Would love to hear Cari's input to the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSGT Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 A woman in her late 60's/early 70's stopped by my car last summer at a car show in Burlington, Ontario. We chatted for a while. She knew the history of my car (Shelby GT), and claimed to be Aaron's mother, proud of the direction he is taking. I can't remember her name (my problem with age). She has a home here in Burlington and visits in the summer. Can anyone shed any light? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhr1961 Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 1 hour ago, dirpubsaf said: I am not trying to discredit anyone. I've stated my where my information came from. Why is everyone so hostile? The only civil person in this has been mhr1961. I've learned my lesson and will stay off the site. There is a lot of accurate information online and also a lot of inaccurate information, combing through it can sometimes be a challenge to determine which is which. I think the link to the obituary that I posted pretty much cleared up the debate about the Joan Cole/Joan Sherman question. In addition, I do think that the above post by Cari Cole above is legitimately Joan’s daughter. As to why I believe it is her, I will not go in to here. If you try and contact the daughter through Team Shelby I would agree with 2BJShelbys that you probably won’t get a response, she has made one post and hasn’t revisited the site since. Thanks for the kind words towards me. I am always glad to help a fellow Shelby Enthusiast Also, try not to take things the wrong way. I don’t know anybody on here personally, but I can say that both DubbsFarris and TwoBJShelbys are both long term members of Team Shelby and in my opinion are well respected members here and both quite knowledgeable about Shelby stuff. I have a fair amount of odd Shelby Memorabilia from the 1950’s and early 60’s. To me, its always interesting to hear about Shelby Memorabilia and Shelby related Memorabilia, especially the uncommon or odd stuff. Post some pics if you can, many of us would like to see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DubbsFaris Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 Why do you think my post was anything but genuine? You added a comment and quoted me on a decade old thread-that I didnt even remember btw, and I answered you quickly with information that backed up my post. I simply googled Joan Cole and much information came up. You had said there was no information, and I literally trpyed in her name on a google search. Im not your research assistant. A simple thank you would have sufficed. the Wow-btw comment was a reaction to the fact that Amy Boylan and Cari Cole had replied to this thread since the last time I even saw it, and I thought that was cool. It wasnt some personal attack launched upon you and your lackluster research efforts. Settle down snowflake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhr1961 Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirpubsaf Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 1 hour ago, mhr1961 said: Ok, now I'm laughing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirpubsaf Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 1 hour ago, DubbsFaris said: Why do you think my post was anything but genuine? You added a comment and quoted me on a decade old thread-that I didnt even remember btw, and I answered you quickly with information that backed up my post. I simply googled Joan Cole and much information came up. You had said there was no information, and I literally trpyed in her name on a google search. Im not your research assistant. A simple thank you would have sufficed. the Wow-btw comment was a reaction to the fact that Amy Boylan and Cari Cole had replied to this thread since the last time I even saw it, and I thought that was cool. It wasnt some personal attack launched upon you and your lackluster research efforts. Settle down snowflake. All right, fine! I just hate eating crow! I have to admit I googled that name every which way to Sunday and that was all I came up. In the end I was thoroughly confused (and still am if you ask my wife) I also know it's hard to put voice inflection into a post, so forgive me for my assumptions. And lastly, I promise to buy everyone the first round if we meet up at SAAC45 in Indy. (BTW, I'm a boomer, not a snowflake as my daughter keeps reminding) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Bishop Posted April 9, 2020 Report Share Posted April 9, 2020 On 12/9/2009 at 8:04 PM, amyb said: Carroll had 2 wives named Joan I believe, he did not "live" with joan cole but she was very important in his life, and job, she was a business manager, but they didnt call it that back then OMG....... Reading this old ass thread with the new additions made my day, thank you fellas! And Amy's input was priceless.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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