Joel Wise Weinstock

Joel was truly a trailblazer, a woman often ahead of her time. Daughter of the late Leonard and Ruth Cohn Wise, and sister of the late Richard M. Wise, Joel was raised in uptown New Orleans where she graduated from the Isidore Newman School. After her high school graduation, Joel studied at Smith College where she graduated with a major in Art History. She then went to Paris to study Arts and Humanities at The Sorbonne where she discovered her love of French artists and of lithographs. Soon after, she moved to New York City where she worked in advertising for the fashion industry. While in New York, she met her husband, the late John “Johnny” Weinstock. The newlyweds ultimately moved to New Orleans where they lived a full and loving life before Johnny’s untimely passing in 1977. She lived for many years in her beloved creole cottage, in the Palmer Park neighborhood.

Joel pursued her passion for art serving as a private dealer, specializing in French lithographs. Early in her career, she opened and ran The 927 Gallery on Royal Street in the French Quarter. She later joined Galerie Simonne Stern, one of the first contemporary art galleries in the New Orleans’ Warehouse district, where she nurtured and represented many artists in the region. Her love of art continued to bring her back to Paris where she would study and discover up and coming artists. Joel often referred to Paris as her “New Orleans in Europe”. Joel supported the arts in New Orleans where she sat on many boards including New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA), the New Orleans Opera, the Contemporary Arts Center and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO).

Joel’s other passion was her dogs. She was known to rescue dogs, especially, Cairn Terriers and Pomeranians, and never had fewer than two at her home. Her love of animals was showcased by her involvement with the SPCA and other animal shelters in the region.

Joel is survived by her sister-in-law, Carol B. Wise; her nieces, Julie Wise Oreck and Ginny Wise (Kevin Wilkins); her nephew, Richard Wise (Carmen); her great-nieces Zoe Oreck (Hayter Whitman) and Sophie Oreck; and her great-nephews, Jonathan, Benjamin and Zachary Wilkins. The family is grateful to Joel’s long-term caregiver Sheral Arana and the caring staff at Poydras Home.

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial gathering at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124, on Sunday, August 28, 2022 from 3PM to 4PM. A private interment will follow.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the New Orleans Museum of Art or the charity of your choice.

To view and sign the online guest book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.