Kirk Ferentz, the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, and his daughters, Kelly and Joanne Ferentz, pursued different professional paths than his boys. Ferentz and Mary had five children, three males and two girls. Joanne and Kelly are now married and have their own lovely families. Kirk’s kids, Brian, James, and Steve, are often in the spotlight due to their successful jobs. The Ferentz sisters, on the other hand, choose a low-key existence.
Kirk James Ferentz, a Royal Oak, Michigan native, began his football career as a linebacker at the University of Connecticut (1974-76). He worked as a graduate assistant for the Huskies under head coach Walt Nadzak in 1977. Beginning as a defensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Worcester Academy (1978-79), his coaching career gained professional acclaim.
Fast forward a few years, and Ferentz was coaching for the Cleveland Browns (1993-95) and the Baltimore Ravens (1996-98). He has been the head football coach at the University of Iowa since 1999, where he has coached NFL players such as Tyler Linderbaum, Micah Hyde, and Matt Nelson, among others. The Iowa Hawkeyes 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 Difference
Ferentz, the four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, is less public about his daughters, Kelly and Joanne, but he loves them just as much as his boys. Kelly Kristin Lauridsen (née Ferentz) was the second-oldest of five children born on November 30, 1985. Kelly is 38 years old in 2024. Joanne Barnes (née Ferentz), the third-eldest 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 Kelly’s junior and seven years Joanne’s junior.
Eldest Kirk Ferentz’s Daughter Kelly Ferentz is married to a Businessman
Kelly Ferentz and her husband, Walter E Lauridsen, enjoy a happy married life in Des Moines, Iowa. Her husband is the CEO of The Boyer Valley, a Lauridsen Group, Inc. subsidiary situated in Arion, Iowa. Before becoming CEO of the aforementioned firm, he was the Vice President of Entrepreneurial Initiatives at LGl’s Essentia Protein Solutions firm. Walter has a B.A. in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University. According to Dornink Couture Costumes’ Facebook postings, the pair married on July 10, 2015, two years after her younger sister’s nuptials. The wedding took place at their house in Iowa City, Iowa. They have yet to have children together.
What Does Kelly Do?
Ferentz, like her brothers, attended Iowa City High School. She then relocated to Michigan and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Michigan. Kelly also has a juris doctorate as well as a master’s degree in health management from the University of Iowa. There are no details regarding her present job, although it is assumed that she is working alongside her spouse. In reality, The Boyer Valley’s staff records indicate a woman named Kelly serving as VP of Finance.
Younger Daughter Joanne Ferentz Is a Mother of Three Children
Ferentz, who now goes by the surname “Barnes,” is married to Tyler J. Barnes, an Illinois native. He is now the director of recruitment for the University of Iowa (since 2016). Kirk, Joanne’s father, recruited him as a temporary administrative assistant in January 2012, while the two were dating. Six months later, in July 2012, they became engaged. Joanne and Tyler married on July 6, 2013, following a year of engagement, at their Iowa City home in front of their family and friends. Barnes wished her a happy 9th wedding anniversary on Instagram on July 6, 2022.
The couple has three children: two girls, Blakely and Bella, and a boy, Beckett (born September 30, 2019). Bella Mae Barnes, the youngest of all, was born in June 2023. Joanne, an elementary school teacher, allegedly met Tyler when both were students at the University of Iowa. Barnes graduated in 2009 with a double degree in Finance and Sports Studies. In 2011, he received his master’s degree in Recreation and Sports Management.
