A 90th birthday celebration, Norwegian-style

Parties of any kind are tricky in the age of COVID-19.

But Diane Heffernan couldn't pass up the chance to throw her dad a birthday party.

After all, this wasn't just any ol' birthday. Don Hoganson of Wheaton turned 90 on Saturday.

So with social distancing and masks in force, about 40 of Hoganson's friends, neighbors and family members gathered in the front yard of the house he has lived in with his 85-year-old wife Doris for 50 years.

"I was totally surprised. I walked out the front door and I almost fainted," Hoganson said with a laugh. "You know, I told the kids, there are supposed to be no parties. They don't listen.

"But it was actually fantastic to see all those people."

Hoganson also really liked the theme of his birthday party, Norwegian, for a man who is 100 percent Norwegian and was knighted by the King of Norway about 10 years ago.

For much of his life, Hoganson has been involved in many Norwegian organizations, such as the Sons of Norway, the Chicago Torske Klub, the Wisconsin Torske Club of Madison, the Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the Viking Ship and the Norwegian Pioneer Social Club.

Heffernan arranged for a cake for her dad that was made to look like the Norwegian Viking ship, the Draken, which is the world's largest Viking ship.

"The whole cake was edible, even the sails," said Hoganson, who had "Happy Birthday" sung to him in Norwegian. "It was fantastic. Everyone had their phones out taking pictures of the cake."

Hoganson, who still plays golf at least twice a week, was given a big painting of an 18-hole golf course, and every hole commemorated an important moment in his life.

"There was something about the farm he grew up on in Morris, Ill., it was a 220-acre farm, there was something about him going to St. Olaf College, and his 35 years as a managing director of Marsh & McLennan, which is an insurance brokerage firm," Heffernan said. "There was something about his marriage and his kids and fishing and golf and something for how he loves scotch and smoked salmon and stuffed olives, and all the Dalmatian dogs we've had. There was something about how he was knighted, too. It was really neat how it captured so many monumental parts of his life."

Meanwhile, during the party, a three-piece band played a concert of 1940s big band music, Hoganson's favorite.

On Sunday, Hoganson spent most of the day opening presents and cards from the party, and reflecting on his 90 years.

"I've learned in 90 years that you need to have friends and you need to work with people on common causes and you need to enjoy life and have goals, and one of those great goals needs to be good health," Hoganson said. "I still have my driver's license, my health is very good. I'm still doing pretty well."