Spud Halsten marks 90-year milestone

With a twinkle in his eye and surrounded by good friends and loved ones, Gordon "Spud" Halsten celebrated his milestone 90th birthday at the Tollgate Recreation Center on Saturday afternoon.

In a party that was part All-American barbecue reunion and part masquerade dress-up, nearly 100 of Halsten's old-time buddies and family members, including Sisters mayor Lon Kellstrom, took time to mark the memorable occasion on a sublime and special autumn day.

"Ninety is a pretty good age," said Halsten, wearing a "Yukon Spud" nametag and greeting his many guests with dry-humored jokes. "If I make it to 100 and I'm coherent and walking then I suppose I'll look forward to that, too."

Halsten served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1941-1945, and after his discharge in Seattle was stationed in Alaska working for the Civil Aeronautics Administration, a forerunner to the FAA. His career as an air traffic controller in Anchorage spanned nearly 30 years. In 1982 he and wife Dorothy, his high-school sweetheart, retired to Sisters.

"This is Father's 90th, and both my sisters, Tina and Kathleen, decided the best time for a celebration of life is when your loved one is still living," said daughter Deborah Halsten, slicing up one of the two huge birthday cakes. "We wanted him to see how much people loved him while he could enjoy it. It's a great turnout. We've had people come from all over Oregon, Alaska and California. Jack Wilton is here, who Father canoed down the Yukon River with, and his good friend, Dr. Warren Urda from Anchorage, who used to be a dentist here in Sisters."

Warren Urda laughed with Halsten and remembered many a good time.

"I've known Spud for over 30 years," said Urda. "We met through the Kiwanis Club. He's one heck of a guy. Hey, I came all the way from Alaska just for him."

In between barbecued burgers and hot dogs, guests were coaxed into a photo dress-up corner where a photographer captured the day with crazy costumes and props. People chose from a wild array of jackets, vests, wigs, sombreros and even an inflatable guitar to take their turn before the camera and become a permanent record of the day's festivities.

"Spud is one-of-a-kind," said friend Tom Salgado. "I always enjoy seeing all his photos of his Alaskan cabin and the great stories that go along with them. Spud always has some interesting stories to tell and loves to kid around. He told us one time that whenever he brings a guest up to the cabin it's their job to check inside for grizzly bears."

While Halsten had no specific pearls of wisdom for making it to the ripe and rare age of 90, he attributed some of it to just plain good genes.

"Well, 90 just feels one year older than 89," he said. "My parents were homesteaders up in Alberta, Canada, and lived in a sod house. They were tough and had to be. I guess some of it rubbed off on me."

Halsten has owned his beloved rustic cabin in Alaska on Lake Susitna for 52 years and believes it has been a contributing factor to his staying young.

"Getting up there frequently has been a great thing in my life. It's right in the Nelchina caribou herd and they come right through. It's a special place for me and I can't wait to go back again next year."