Joanne Cooper Holderman
Joanne Cooper Holderman passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 27, at the age of 89 in Santa Barbara, California, after a brief illness. She was surrounded by her loving children, Caroline Calvin and William Holderman.
Born on July 1, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois, Joanne was the first of three daughters of Margaret and Dr. John Cooper. She grew up in Butler, Missouri, and attended the University of Missouri, where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She graduated in 1953 with a B.A.
Joanne married Dr. Henry Lee Holderman in 1957 while he was in medical school. After his graduation in 1958, they traveled the country during his service as a Navy flight surgeon. In 1963, following his discharge, they settled in Santa Barbara, where Henry joined the medical practice of Joanne’s father.
It was in Santa Barbara that Joanne began a lifetime of passionate philanthropy and community engagement, becoming a transformative force in the city’s cultural and civic life. A devoted mother, grandmother, sister, mother-in-law, and friend, Joanne was a visionary arts advocate—widely recognized as an “arts activist” long before the term became commonplace.
A masterful fundraiser and inspiring leader, Joanne had a rare ability to bring creative ideas to life and rally others around the belief that the arts matter. Her efforts helped shape many of Santa Barbara’s most enduring cultural institutions.
In 1977, Joanne became the first Chair of the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission. Under her leadership, the Commission evolved from a no-budget advisory panel to a nationally recognized regranting agency with major partnerships across public and private sectors.
In 1983, Joanne and her longtime friend and fellow arts advocate Shirley Dettmann co-founded the Santa Barbara Arts Fund. Over the next 35 years, she served as President and Vice President, leading the development of programs such as the Individual Artist Awards, the Arts Mentorship Program for teens, the East Side/ West Side poetry and photography project for middle school students, and arts education initiatives in elementary schools. She also helped spearhead rural regranting efforts with the Irvine Foundation, the El Zoco affordable artist housing project in collaboration with the City of Santa Barbara, and the founding of The Arts Fund Gallery, which continues to thrive today.
Joanne also served as First Vice President of the Community Arts Music Association (CAMA) contributing to major community events including CAMA’s 80th anniversary celebration. She leveraged her extensive civic network to support and promote the performing arts.
Her dedication to educational equity was reflected in her leadership of the H.E.L.P. (Holderman Endowment for La Patera) initiative where she served as Honorary Chair and Steering Committee Member. The program established an endowment to support enrichment in the arts, science, and technology for the diverse student population at La Patera Elementary School in Goleta.
Joanne also served as President of the Junior League of Santa Barbara, was a member of P.E.O., and held leadership roles on the UCSB Chancellor’s Council, the California Confederation of the Arts, and the Board of Directors of the Music Academy of the West. She was a longtime supporter of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and a founding member of its Photo Futures group, which supports photographic exhibitions and acquisitions.
In 2002, Joanne received the Arts Fund Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing her extraordinary dedication to the arts in Santa Barbara County.
Her impact continues to be felt throughout Santa Barbara’s cultural and educational landscape. Her legacy lives on in the institutions she helped build, the students and artists she empowered, and the generations of civic leaders she inspired through her unwavering generosity and belief in the transformative power of the arts.
At home, Joanne expressed her love for the arts through her personal collection, with works by Hank Pitcher, Channing Peake, Phoebe Brunner, Jack Baker and many more. A world traveler, she filled her home with art from cultures around the globe. Her rose garden, which she lovingly referred to as her “third child,” was another of her lifelong passions.
Joanne is survived by her children, Caroline Calvin and William Holderman, MD; son-in-law Peter Calvin; daughter-in-law Lisa Franke-Holderman; and beloved grandchildren Grace and Lauren Holderman. She is also survived by her sisters, Gayle Quisenberry of Houston, Texas, and Tricia Niederauer of Los Gatos, California, as well as a wide circle of friends, collaborators, and community members who will continue to carry forward her values and vision.
The family extends heartfelt thanks to Joanne’s devoted friend and care companion, June Ferguson, and the dedicated staff of Oak Cottage Memory Care Home and Cliff View Terrace Assisted Living.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joanne’s memory to The Arts Fund:
artsfundsb.org/support
Or mail a check payable to:
The Arts Fund
P.O. Box 333
Santa Barbara, CA 93102
A celebration of Joanne’s life and legacy will be announced at a later date.
