The Kansas Legislature established the Kansas Silver Haired Legislature in 1982 as a unicameral body of representatives ages 60 or older who advocate for the 60+ demographic. The KSHL is composed of 125 representatives from all 105 Kansas counties with extra delegates for the larger counties of Shawnee, Sedgwick, Wyandotte and Johnson. Legislators are elected by peers in their county, and they serve on a volunteer basis. Annual sessions are held at the Statehouse in Topeka to discuss and propose legislation regarding healthcare, property taxes, transportation, and other topics relevant to senior citizens. Legislators develop bills and resolutions to address identified concerns, present those resolutions to the Kansas Legislature and Governor as recommendations for state policy, and testify at hearings held regarding proposed KSHL Legislation.
Joann Wiley was Kearny County’s second Silver Haired Legislator and first female SHL. She began her service at the organization’s fourth annual session in November of 1986, taking over for Harold Walker who was killed in an automobile accident. Public service was always in Joann’s blood. Her father was an attorney and spent much of his working career either as a county attorney or county judge. “My own interest in politics may have come from experiencing the excitement of campaigning, the speeches, the pie suppers and meeting lots of people,” Wiley said. “My father’s favorite opening speech was always, “All of these candidates are asking for your support. I’m asking for your vote. If I’m elected, I will support myself.”
Born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma in 1924 to Arthur Evans Robertson and Jennie Lind Bailey, Joann was nine years old when her family moved to Hulbert, Oklahoma. She graduated first in her high school class at the age of 16. Joann worked at Camp Gruber Training Base in 1943 during the war effort, and she attended Northeastern State College where she graduated in 1945 with a degree in business education.
“On looking for a teaching job, I found Kansas to be paying high salaries. Margaret Coder and I came to Lakin in 1946 as members of the high school staff. Kay Loeppke was also on staff at that time. We were Miss Robertson, Miss Cate and Miss Crowder, not Ms.,” Joann reminisced. “That year also began my life as a Kansas Jayhawk.”
At Lakin, Joann met her future husband, Clyde Coder Wiley, Jr. Clyde’s parents were pioneer homesteaders in Kansas, and he was born, reared, educated and lived in Lakin all of his life. Clyde and Joann made their home with their two children, Linda and Rob. Rob was 20 years old when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1953. Linda married Howard Hasler, also a Lakin graduate. Joann and Clyde had 39 years together as husband and wife until his death in 1986.
Joann began working as a social worker in June of 1966. At that time, the County Commissioners served as the welfare board, and Harold Walker was the welfare director. Later, the welfare office became part of the State Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. Joann did a lot of traveling and provided services to three counties during her tenure with SRS. Beginning in 1982, she was based out of the Garden City office as the Adult Service Worker.
“I officially retired on June 30, 1987. Looking back over the years, I can’t believe I did all the things I did. I only hope there were some lives I made a little better with the services I provided,” Joann reflected.
Anyone who knew Joann knew she gave of her time unselfishly to make life better for others, and she continued to do so in retirement. One way was through her dedication to local seniors as their Silver Haired Legislator. She was re-elected to this position in the spring of 1987 and was appointed to the Kearny County Council on Aging by virtue of her KSHL office.
Joann later moved to Lawrence where she also served in the Silver Haired Legislature including a stint as Speaker Pro Tem. As a Silver Haired Legislator there, she testified before both House and Senate committees. Joann also became active in multiple clubs at Lawrence including Kiwanis, Lions, Town and Country Republican Women, and the New Horizons Band. She enjoyed bowling and golfing into her 90s and was a haiku master. Joann Robertson Wiley died at the age of 99 in April of 2024. Women’s History Month is a perfect time to remember Joann for her service to others and particularly to Kearny County.
SOURCES: August 1987 Meadowlark Notes, newsletter of the Kearny County Senior Center; Diggin’ Up Bones by Betty Barnes; History of Kearny County Vol. I; archives of The Lakin Independent, Bonner Springs-Edwardsville Chieftain, and The Mercury; kslegislature.gov; and kansas-shl.org.