Joan Sturgeon

Joan Kerr Sturgeon (née Ferguson, born 23 October 1952) is a Scottish politician and former dental nurse who served as the Provost of North Ayrshire from 2012 to 2016. She served on the North Ayrshire council from 2007 to 2017, representing the Irvine East ward. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she is the mother of the party's former leader and former First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon. Early life Joan Kerr Ferguson was born on 23 October 1952 in St Quivox, Ayrshire. Sturgeon married Robin Sturgeon in 1969. They have two daughters, Nicola and Gillian. The family grew up in Prestwick and later in the village of Dreghorn. Although not politically active at the time, Sturgeon was an SNP voter and was in-favour of Scottish devolution in both the 1979 and 1997 referendums. She worked as a dental nurse.