Kirk Ferentz, head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, and his daughters, Kelly and Joanne Ferentz, followed different professional paths than their boys. Ferentz and Mary had five children, three boys and two girls. Joanne and Kelly are now married and have beautiful families of their own. Kirk’s children, Brian, James and Steve, are often in the spotlight for their successful businesses. The Ferentz sisters, on the other hand, choose a modest life.
Born in Royal Oak, Michigan, Kirk James Ferentz began his football career as a linebacker at the University of Connecticut (1974-76). He served as a graduate assistant for the Huskies under head coach Walt Nadzak in 1977. Beginning as defensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Worcester Academy (1978-79), his coaching career rose to professional prominence.
Fast forward a few years, and Ferentz was coaching for the Cleveland Browns (1993-95) and Baltimore Ravens (1996-98). He was the head football coach at the University of Iowa since 1999, where he coached NFL players such as Tyler Linderbaum, Micah Hyde and Matt Nelson, among others. The Iowa Hawkeyes have won two Big Ten Conference titles (2002 and 2004) as well as two Big Ten West Division championships (2015 and 2021).
Kirk Ferentz’s daughter, Kelly & Joanne Ferentz: age gap
Ferentz, a four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, is less public about his daughters, Kelly and Joanne, but loves them as much as his boys. Kelly Kristin Lauridsen (nee Ferentz) was the second oldest of five children born on November 30, 1985. Kelly was 38 years old in 2024. Joanne Barnes (née Ferentz), the third oldest child, was born in 1988. The Ferentz sisters are two years apart in age. They have three brothers: Brian (born March 28, 1983), James (born June 5, 1989), and Steven (born December 4, 1993). Steve, the youngest, is nine years younger than Kelly and seven years younger than Joanna.
Kirk Ferentz’s eldest daughter Kelly Ferentz is married to a businessman
Kelly Ferentz and her husband Walter E Lauridsen are enjoying a happy married life in Des Moines, Iowa. Her husband is the CEO of The Boyer Valley, a subsidiary of Lauridsen Group, Inc. located in Arion, Iowa. Before becoming CEO of the said company, he was vice president of entrepreneurial initiatives at LGI’s company Essentia Protein Solutions. Walter holds a BA in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University. According to Dornink Couture Costumes Facebook posts, the couple tied the knot on July 10, 2015, two years after her younger sister’s wedding. The wedding took place at their home in Iowa City, Iowa. They are yet to have children together.
Daughter of Kirk Ferentz
What is Kelly doing?
Ferentz, like her brothers, attended Iowa City High School. She then moved to Michigan and earned a BA in English from the University of Michigan. Kelly also holds a juris doctorate as well as a master’s degree in health management from the University of Iowa. There are no details about her current job, although it is assumed that she works alongside her husband. In reality, The Boyer Valley personnel records indicate a woman named Kelly who works as the vice president of finance.
Joanne Ferentz’s younger daughter is the mother of three children
Ferentz, who now goes by “Barnes,” is married to Tyler J. Barnes, a native of Illinois. He is now the Director of Recruitment at the University of Iowa (as of 2016). Kirk, Joanne’s father, hired him as a temporary administrative assistant in January 2012 while the two were in a relationship. Six months later, in July 2012, they got engaged. Joanne and Tyler were married on July 6, 2013, after a year of engagement, at their home in Iowa City in front of family and friends. On July 6, 2022, Barnes wished her a happy 9th wedding anniversary on Instagram.
The couple has three children: two girls, Blakely and Bella, and a boy, Beckett (born September 30, 2019). Bella Mae Barnes, the youngest of them all, was born in June 2023. Joanne, an elementary school teacher, reportedly met Tyler while they were both students at the University of Iowa. Barnes graduated in 2009 with a dual degree in finance and sports studies. In 2011, he received his master’s degree in Recreation and Sports Management.
Categories: Entertaintment
Source: HIS Education