Carlson 60th

CARLSON 60th

Bill and Sharon Carlson celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this summer. They met as teenagers in Southern California and went on their first date to Huntington Beach, Calif., on a Friday the 13th in 1956. They always considered Friday the 13th as their lucky day after that.

They were married on June 22, 1958, and lived for many years in Huntington Beach, where they had their two children, Terry and Wendy. Bill taught high school in Los Angeles for many years.

The hustle of the big city did not suit the Carlson family, so while on a vacation to Oregon they found a beautiful farm in Canyonville. Shortly after that trip, they purchased a 10-acre farm and moved the family in late 1969. Bill taught at South Umpqua High School in Myrtle Creek, Ore.

In 1973, they moved to Walla Walla, Wash., where they purchased the Health Hut health food store, providing wholesome organic food and vitamins to the community. They grew the business to three locations and worked in the stores until they sold the business in 2000.

Then they managed retirement centers in Portland, Ore., and Walla Walla, Wash., for the Holiday Corporation. After that, they managed the RV Resort Four Seasons in Walla Walla for 10 years. Walla Walla is where they raised their family, and they considered it home for many, many years.

Bill and Sharon are now residing in Richland, Wash. They are the proud grandparents of three beautiful granddaughters.