Clarice “Joan” Huston passed away on Thursday, March 28, 2013 at the Josephine Sunset Home in Stanwood. She was 88 years of age.
She was born on July 15, 1924 in Iuka, Kansas, the daughter of Charles & Mina (Blue) Parker. She moved to Laverne, Oklahoma where she was raised on a wheat farm.
When she was eleven, the family moved to Lyman, and there she lived on a dairy farm. Joan attended Sedro-Woolley High School, but her family moved to Burlington for her senior year. She graduated from Burlington in 1943, but has always gone to both towns’ reunions.
After graduation she worked in Everett during the war at Soundview Pulp Mill and Boeing. She returned home to meet Dale Huston and it was love at first sight. They were married on February 17, 1946 and made their home in Sedro-Woolley. They had two children, Douglas and Gail and Joan was very active with her children.
She was a Girl Scout Leader and a Boy Scout Leader and got her children into swimming and bowling, and she was on a Woman’s Day League at Sedro-Woolley Bowling Center where she was 7th in her league for top score.
The family all learned how to snow ski and would take the camper to Mt. Baker and on many other camping trips, she also loved to fish and camp. One of her relaxing loves was gardening. She had both vegetable and flower gardens at her home in Sedro-Woolley and at their 2nd home in Winthrop. Swimming was also a relaxing love and in Winthrop she had a lovely swimming pool and in Woolley she had Clear Lake. She made sure everyone learned how to swim so she could go often. In Winthrop she also cross country skied and got hooked on walking. She belonged to the Skagit Treckers and went on many five and ten mile walks.
Joan is survived by her son, Douglas Huston (Jane) of Bluffton, OH; daughter, Gail Browning (Jackson), Sedro-Woolley; she was blessed with five grandchildren, Mike Turan, Clint Nicholas, Rose Nicholas, Douglas Huston (Rosie) and Brandon Huston (Joy) and five great-grandchildren, Kailee, Landon and Blake Huston and Tyler and Cody Turan; her sister, Rena Aldridge of Sedro-Woolley; brothers, Wallace Lynn Parker (Delores) of Mount Vernon, Nolan Parker (Bonnie) Spokane, WA, Galen Clive Parker (Jeanette) Ferndale, WA and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dale in 2004; sisters, Clella Wilson and Elizabeth Meinette; brothers, Hap Parker, Les Parker, Cliff Parker and Jim Parker and grandson, Clint Nicholas.
The family would like to give special thanks to Josephine Sunset for taking such good care of mom for four plus years, and a special thanks to her CNAs, especially Lisa and Heather who showed her so much love and care.
A Life Celebration will be held on Saturday, April 6, 2013 at 12:00 noon at the Central Valley Assembly of God Church in Burlington with Pastor Ed Leckenby officiating. Visitation is available Monday thru Friday from 9am to 5pm. The family suggest memorials be made to Josephine Sunset’s Good Sam Club, 9901-272nd Place NW, Stanwood, WA 98292.
My sincere condolences to Douglas, Gail, and family during this time of sorrow, may you find comfort from God’s promise that there will be a resurrection back to life in the future. Jesus said, “Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.” Until this promise is fulfilled may you draw close to God for comfort to cope.
Gail
We are so sorry for your loss. It’s hard to lose a parent, remember the happy times you had with her, from reading the obit, there was quite a lot of good, fun times.