Johanna “Joan” Hecker Larson Lennick, 85, passed away on December 24, 2025.

A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, January 3, 2026, at St. Anne Catholic Church,1321 Braman Ave. 

Born in Dickinson, North Dakota August 26, 1940, to Louis and Ida (Luykx) Hecker, Johanna, also known as Joan, was raised near Belfield and graduated from Belfield High School as valedictorian in 1958. She graduated from Dickinson State Teachers College with a B.S. degree where she received numerous awards and honors including Outstanding Elementary Student Teacher of the year, Student Council representative, Home Coming attendant, Rodeo Club officer and Dickinson State Rodeo Queen.

Joan was a passionate and active rodeo participant. She won the ND State High School Barrel Racing title in 1956, the North Dakota Rodeo Association state barrel racing title 3 times in 1959, 1961 and 1962. In 1960 she won the American Collegiate Rodeo Association national barrel racing title, was second runner up ACRA goat tier, won the national ACRA national all around title and was named “Cowgirl of the Nation” by the National American Collegiate Rodeo Association for accumulating the highest total of points across multiple events at 5 or more ACRA rodeos.

In 1962 she represented North Dakota at the Miss Rodeo America pageant in Las Vegas and was chosen by The Western Horseman magazine as the featured contestant in horsemanship.

After graduating from Dickinson State, Joan embarked on a teaching career that spanned over 4 decades. 1960-1963 Beach, ND. 1965-2006 Middle school and elementary teacher in the Bismarck public system.

As an educator, Joan was committed to her students, noting “I never gave up on a student.” Whenever she encountered a former student that expressed their appreciation for the impact she had on them, she knew she chose the right career.

Beyond competing, Joan dedicated over 50 years to judging pageants and coaching contestants. She judged more than 250 events including the Miss Indian America Pageant and an American Idol preliminary and was the state director for the Miss North Dakota USA and Teen USA pageants of the Miss Universe system.

From 1997 to 2007, she served as a trustee for the ND Cowboy Hall of Fame, contributing her passion to preserving the state’s western heritage.

Joan was inducted into the Arena of Academic Excellence at Dickinson State University in 2007 and into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2008.

She met and married a fellow teacher, Alfred “Al” Larson in 1965 and had 3 children, Kari, Alfred “Lars”, and Preston. Al passed in 1989. Joan was remarried to Armin Lennick in 2000 who passed in 2023. After losing Armin, Joan spent her final time living with her daughter, Kari enjoying snuggling and playing with her small dogs, reading the newspaper, and helping with gardening.

Joan is survived by her children Kari Larson, (Stephen Voegeli), Alfred III Larson (Mariama) and their children Jarai, Alma and Alfred IV of the Minneapolis area and Preston Larson of New Town, ND. Also, surviving are her 3 sisters Kaye Burian, Pam Marsh and Laure Luykx (Terry Friese) and their children and grandchildren.

In honor of Joan’s memory, a donation to the ND Cowboy Hall of Fame or Furry Friend’s Rockin’ Rescue in her name would be much appreciated instead of flowers.