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Just a hometown boy celebrating a birthday

by Kerri Thoreson
| September 2, 2020 1:00 AM

On Sept. 3, 1932, a local couple were attending a Labor Day barbecue with family and friends at Silver Beach. About 6 p.m. the woman goes into labor and tells her husband it's time to get to the hospital, the baby was coming! Off they go and at 10 p.m. the baby entered the world.

Burl and Beverly Hagadone’s son, Duane, has made quite an impact in his 88 years.

Several years ago Bert and I happened to go for a Labor Day weekend dinner at the Beachouse Restaurant at Silver Beach that turned out to be their last night open for business. The aging structure was slated to be demolished. I savored the huckleberry ribs for the final time as we watched the sun set literally and figuratively from the outdoor patio.

The next week I wrote about the history of the location and the previous businesses that had been there throughout the decades. The morning my column appeared in the Press I received a phone call.

“Kerri, Duane Hagadone here,” boomed the familiar voice. I laughed and said, “Mr. Hagadone, I think I would have recognized your voice.”

What followed was a lovely and unexpected conversation about Duane’s family connection to Silver Beach that included the story about his mother going into labor on Labor Day. We talked about the city we love, where Duane’s travels were taking him next, the newspaper and the news business. Just lovely and intimate.

I will always appreciate Duane and the Hagadone Corporation for providing so many opportunities to me since 1986 when I took a part-time job in the classified department at the Coeur d’Alene Press to begin a long career.

I’ll always respect that for his entire life he’s invested in the city of his birth ... not just with his pocketbook, but with his heart. Duane’s fingerprints are on Coeur d’Alene in so many unseen places far beyond the Resort or floating green or the newspaper publisher role he assumed at age 26 when his father unexpectedly died at age 49.

Duane Hagadone is a fascinating and complex man, as are most extremely successful people. But at the end of the day, he’s just a hometown boy done well.

Happy Birthday Mr. H!

• • •

Tuesday, not long before my deadline to file this week’s column, I came across a YouTube video that had just been uploaded earlier in the day. It’s titled ER workers cover Lean on Me, a Tribute to Health Care Workers. The four-minute video features stunning performances.

Each of the singers and musicians are Kootenai Health ER staffers. The video was recorded at Lane Sumner’s studio and the performers listed are Dr. Ben Perscheau, acoustic guitar; Lorena Brewer, bass flute; Lane Sumner, guitar, bass, keyboard; and vocalists Gabby Stevens, Stan Foster, Carli Osika, Katelynn Weatherly, Maddy Marinos and Nicole Rock.

If these health care professionals are even half as talented at their day jobs as they are in this video, we’re in very good hands indeed!

• • •

Last week I shared the story of an anonymous benefactor gifting me with a month’s worth of weekly bouquets that include a custom printed card with a personal message that includes a word of the week. The third bouquet and card was delivered on Monday with the Word of the Week, unconditional.

“A friend that sticks as close as family. They impose no judgement, no conditions, expectations, and presuppositions on you. They care for you, show up for you, help you, look out for you and want the best for you.”

Although I’ll likely not discover the person behind this random act of kindness, I’m already blessed to have such a person in my village. You are loved.

• • •

Happy birthday today to Doug Wheeler, Tammy Kelly, Bonnie Miller, John Parmann, Kelley Inman, Stephanie Foster, Kelley Taylor, Dale Borley and Debbie Pohlmeier. On Sept. 3 Duane Hagadone, Willi Buerge, Lesli Linde, Emily Davis, Kris McIlvenna, Jim Hamby, Robin Merrifield, Patty Jacobs, Jeremy Moser, David Armstrong, Jeff Tyler and Taylor Valente will celebrate.

Friday birthdays will be marked by Paulette Fabian, Maggie DeTar, Steve Yost and Rich Dickman. Jay Broderick, Ken Bookamer, Bobby Olson and Dave Pulis (60!) on Saturday. Carl Riegert, Jack Evans (60!), Amy Carlson, Evelyn Wegner, Dave Chamberlain and Della St.Clair blow out the birthday candles on Sunday.

Keri Alexander shares a Labor Day birthday with her mother Sherry Krulitz, Vicki Fulton, Laura Umthun, James Arras, Lori Millsap, Kathleen Cavender, Nikki Luttmann and Jim Brannon. Sept. 8 is a special day for Anne Mitchell, Juli Stratton, Lea Williams, Vicki Currie, Lisa Gould, Sheena Dunn, Angie Demmig (50!), Lorna Price, Gayle Simpson, Imogene Sverdsten, Irina Ponomarenko, Brad Marshall, Sonya Fernandes, Rosemary Dickson and Bob Coles.

• • •

Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.