Hazel "Joan" (Erickson) Eastvold

Raised in Bismarck, Josephine and Fargo, North Dakota, she always said that “life truly began” when she met the love of her life, Duane, while roller-skating at the Fargo Arena. Married 4 months after meeting, the two started their lives together with only a Bible and worked hard to rise above their circumstances.

When Duane became involved in local television, ‘Joan Lambert’ (her “on-air name”) began working as a spokesperson for several businesses along their broadcast journey. Beginning in Grand Forks and moving to Fargo, ND, to Austin and Duluth, MN and finally to Knoxville, TN, her broadcast career grew. It transitioned in Knoxville, where not surprisingly, she broke the mold by becoming the first female to co-anchor local news in Knoxville on WTVK-TV 26 in July, 1975. In 1982, Joan produced “The World’s Fair Today” program, broadcast from the Sunsphere during the duration of Knoxville’s World’s Fair, after which she retired. https://www.knoxnews.com/story/shopper-news/bearden/2018/09/11/joan-lambert-duane-eastvold-pioneered-knoxville-tvnews-wtvk/1221653002/

Joan often remarked that growing up in ND, she never dreamed that her life would be blessed with so many opportunities. None of those were handed to her or to Duane. They were earned by hard work and determination to make a better life for their family.

Joan’s family and close friends meant the world to her, and she was incredibly proud of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her community involvement ranged from symphony auxiliaries in MN to recording for the blind and serving together with Duane as volunteers in the Knoxville Sheriff’s office’s Senior Citizen Awareness Network (SCAN).

Joan was a wonderful singer and encouraged her children and grandchildren to be involved in music as well, attending every performance when possible. Whenever the family gathered there was almost always music and oftentimes dancing.

Joan was married to her loving husband, Duane for almost 70 years. She is survived by her son, Monte (Jan) Eastvold of Chanhassen, MN; daughter, Terryl (Mike) Oliver of Knoxville, TN; her two grandsons’ families: Andy & Lauren, Emmett and Isla Eastvold of Shakopee, MN and Adam & Courtney, Clara & Julia Eastvold of Forest Lake, MN; her step-grandson, Matt Oliver of Kodak, TN and step-great granddaughters, Emma & Hannah Oliver of Knoxville. Joan was predeceased by her parents; her brother, Orville; her sister, Helen and her only granddaughter, Katelyn Oliver.

The family is very grateful for the care she’s been given these past 2+ years from everyone at Pinnacle Assisted Living Center and more recently from those at Smoky Mountain Hospice and At Ease Home Care.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Katelyn Oliver Memorial Opportunity Fund at the Joy of Music School in Knoxville at www.joyofmusicschool.org.

No visitation or in-person service is planned but a virtual celebration of life will be shared in the near future with family and friends. Please email [email protected] if you would like the link to her memorial video when it’s complete.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.berrylynnhurst.com for the Eastvold family.