The Golden Bachelorette’s Joan Vassos recently celebrated her birthday with Chock Chapple in New York City, but her family was notably missing from the celebration. Joan, who just turned 63, came into prominence when she was cast as a contestant on The Golden Bachelor season 1. Though she and 72-year-old Gerry Turner shared some serious initial chemistry, the private school administrator and mother of four had to leave the season early due to a family emergency. Gerry’s loss was America’s gain because it wasn’t long before Joan was cast as The Bachelor spin-off’s first female lead.
Joan kicked off the first night of The Golden Bachelorette season 1 by meeting 24 single men. Among the impressive gathering of divorcees and widowers was 60-year-old Chock, an insurance executive, business owner, and divorced father of two from Kansas. After a thrilling season of dates, Joan and Chock get engaged and ride off into the sunset together. Though they’ve been happy since then, they’ve struggled to deal with some alleged family drama. They recently celebrated Joan’s birthday in NYC, but the absence of Joan’s children led to questions about their family issues.
Joan & Chock Have Six Children Between Them
Erica, Allison, Nicholas, Luke, Taylor & Tyler
Before joining the cast of The Golden Bachelor season 1 and The Golden Bachelorette, Joan was a widower living a quiet life in relative obscurity. She was married to John Vassos for 32 years before he died in 2021, and they have four children together. Joan’s children are adults, and some even have their own children, making Joan a proud grandmother. Joan was very close to her adult children, so it was important they liked Chock.
Some of Joan’s children traveled to Bora Bora to meet Chock for the first time during The Golden Bachelorette season 1. When Joan left her children alone with Chock for a moment, they could talk openly. Joan’s children expressed concern that Chock would try to replace their father. Chock seemed to mollify them when he explained he had no intention of taking John’s place. In fact, he told them he had nothing but respect for their father, and wanted to honor him by caring for Joan.
Chock also has two adult children, Taylor Chapple and Tyler Chapple.
Taylor and Tyler are Chock’s children with his first wife, Heather Chapple, whom he was married to for 12 years before their divorce. After his divorce, Chock met Elizabeth Goree, and they were engaged for nine years until she passed away from cancer in 2022. During their first solo date, Chock told Joan that it was the most devastating loss of his life. Their shared loss was one of the things that bonded Joan and Chock together. They both understood each other on a deeper level, and it brought them together.
Joan & Chock’s Family Issues Explained
“A Little Harder Right Now”
Joan and Chock got engaged during The Golden Bachelorette season 1 finale and immediately began to focus on building their new lives together. In addition to wanting to get to know each other away from all the cameras, they also wanted to bring their children together. The first inkling that Joan and Chock were struggling with family drama came directly from Joan and Chock themselves.
Joan and Chock are determined to unite their families, despite the drama.
In December 2024, Joan and Chock posted a clip on Instagram discussing bringing their families together. In the clip, the couple were in a hotel room in Los Angeles, which they just returned to. During the video, Joan confessed that bringing their families together had been a “little harder right now”. They didn’t expand on the details, but it’s clear Joan and Chock have some family drama to work through.
Joan Had Two Separate Birthday Celebrations
Maryland & New York City
Joan recently celebrated her birthday, and she celebrated with two events. Joan posted Instagram photos and footage from her first event, which took place in Maryland. Several of Joan’s children and grandchildren gathered around her as she celebrated her birthday. Joan joked it was the 33rd anniversary of her 29th birthday, and she even blew out a “29” candle on one of her two birthday cakes. Joan’s birthday dinner looked like a fun party, but Chock was missing from Joan’s birthday dinner.
Chock did attend Joan’s second birthday celebration.
The Golden Bachelorette season 1 couple returned to New York City to celebrate Joan’s birthday. Joan and Chock posted Instagram photos from the trip. In several of the pictures, Joan and Chock pose with various friends, but their families aren’t in any of them. It looks like Chock didn’t attend Joan’s family event, while her family didn’t appear at her and Chock’s event. It could mean Joan and Chock still have a lot of work to do when it comes to bringing their families together.
Joan having two separate birthday parties isn’t a great sign and could mean she and Chock are keeping their relationship away from their children. From the moment they got engaged during The Golden Bachelorette season 1, Joan and Chock have tried to blend their families. They’ve had some success, and they brought everyone together for the holidays. Though Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed to go well, they still haven’t been able to realize their dreams of a happy modern family.
