90th birthday: Joan Hanson

A surprise party to honor Joan C. Hanson, of Clarkston, was held May 5 at Sonary Crest in Clarkston with family and friends in attendance. The occasion was her 90th birthday.

She was born May 21, 1934, in Lewiston to Vernon and Clara Lewis. She graduated in 1952 from Clarkston High School.

She has lived most of her life in Clarkston and worked at various places in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley as well as being a homemaker. She retired in 2003 from the Area Agency on Aging in Clarkston.

She and Jerry Gosse were married in 1952 in Lewiston, and they later divorced.

Her hobbies include baking, and it was a family tradition for her to make bunny cakes for her sons on Easter and doll cakes for her daughters’ birthdays.

She enjoys family get-togethers and, over the years, she was host for many family gatherings. She liked camping with her children at Wallowa Lake, watching baseball and especially following her son’s baseball career.

When her children were young, she was a Campfire leader and, as a member of her children’s school PTA, she organized school carnivals for fundraisers. She also taught Sunday School at Clarkston Presbyterian Church.

She has two sons, two daughters, 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.