Camp Hanford brought Joan Wiseman and her husband west

Joan Wiseman, left, and her daughter, Cheryle Jacobs of Sumner, put flowers into one of Wiseman's planters at lot 29 in North Park.

by Ted Escobar & Crescent Bar Chronicle Editor
| July 2, 2011 3:00 AM

CRESCENT BAR - A U.S. military post that no longer exists is responsible for Joan Wiseman leaving her native South Dakota and settling in Washington.

The sunshine was responsible for her retiring to North Park at Crescent Bar. Her now-deceased husband Dale noticed it from the road one day while they traveled with their four children to Sun Lakes for camping in the early 1970s.

"He said, 'Look at that. Let's go check it out,'" Wiseman said. "We drove around and fell in love with it. We fell in love with the cliffs. I couldn't believe it, the beauty of it, as we drove down the hill."

In short order, the Wisemans bought lot 29, which is right at the entrance to North Park. Not long afterwards, they bought lot No. 1, which is adjacent. Wiseman still owns both.

"Dad didn't want somebody else buying it and building something that would block the view," daughter Cheryle Jacobs said.

Wiseman grew up in Aberdeen, S.D., born in 1932. She was one of 11 children and had a twin brother. Hers was a white family, but she was dark-complected and paid a price for that when some of the children traveled.

"We'd get on the train, and they'd single me out and send me to the back of the car to sit with the blacks," she said.

Ironically, Wiseman's parents lived in Aberdeen because that was where her father worked for the railroad.

Joan became Joan Wiseman in 1951 when she married Dale Wiseman. They became Washingtonians in 1954 when Dale was sent to Camp Hanford (Hanford Nuclear Reservation).

"We lived in Kennewick and drove through Richland to get to the base," Wiseman said.

After his stint with Uncle Sam, Dale gave Joan a choice. They could go back to South Dakota or stay in Washington.

"I didn't want to go back at all. I liked it in Kennewick," Wiseman said.

But once Wiseman left Kennewick, she didn't go back. She'd be surprised at the change.

Kennewick had about 10,000 people then and has about 80,000 now. The entire Tri-Cities has grown from about 40,000 then to 250,000 now. And Camp Hanford no longer exists.

The Wisemans weren't long for Kennewick. They moved to Federal Way in 1955, and Dale went to work for Boeing in the interiors department.

That was a fortuitous move. Dale climbed the ladder rapidly and, in 1988, was named manager of aircraft interiors fabrication for the 737, 747, 757 and 767. Boeing gave him a plaque that designated him "Mr. Interiors" when he retired.

Joan also worked for Boeing, starting after the four children could fend for themselves in the early 1970s. She worked in blueprint files.

"We kept up the paper work on the planes," she said.

Life was good. In addition to the North Park lots, the Wisemans bought a home in Arizona for the winter months. They also had property in Moses Lake. But Crescent Bar was their favorite spot.

"If Dale were alive, he'd be at the top of the list fighting the PUD," Wiseman said.

But Dale died in 2006. Joan has sold the outside properties and focused on Crescent Bar. She will live here as long as she's allowed, she said.

Family members visit Wiseman, but she mostly stays on the island. She likes to sit in the dining room or enclosed patio and read and watch people walk by. They all wave "Hi."

"At night, if I start to feel uncomfortable, I think of Dale and the things we used to do, and I fall into a good sleep," she said.