Josephine V. (Buchanan) Clever Sohns ("Jo," as we knew her) was born on July 28, 1907 and, according to the family story, she was born in Touchet, WA but no official birth record seems to exist in Washington. Josephine's mother, Grace Cleveland (Storms) Buchanan Cowen, married Harry Buchanan back in Kansas City, MO four days before her 15th birthday (yes, it's true! - and apparently without her parents' consent, as required by Missouri state law for brides under the age of 18) and Grace came with her parents, a couple sisters, and her brother to Washington State in late 1906 or early 1907. Harry Buchanan did not appear to join the family and in the 1910 census in Seattle, WA Grace listed her marriage status as Single. Grace died in 1918 in the influenza pandemic of 1917-1918 when Jo was only 11 years old and Jo was subsequently raised by her grandparents, William R. and Josephine (Mallott) Storms (for whom Jo was named).

Jo married Harold Clever on November 3, 1928 in Spokane, Washington and they had one daughter, Beverlee Jean Clever, on October 1, 1930. I vaguely remember visiting Jo & Harold's house as a kid and things I remember were thinking Harold seemed kind of suave with his "pencil thin moustache," as they were known in those days, and was somewhat fascinated to see him in his barber shop, and that he introduced me to an unusual "cuisine" of a soft-fried egg on a slice of toast with Worcestershire sauce (sounds a little odd, but I still enjoy it to this day). I also remember all their upholstered furniture being covered with that protective clear plastic with the bumps in it that some people used in those days - Jo was pretty fastidious, but she really doted on her daughter Beverlee, probably because her mother never really had that opportunity since Grace died when Jo was only eleven. After Harold died in 1974, Jo met and married Roy Sohns on March 3, 1976. Her death certificate lists her father as "Harry Buchanan." My memory of Josephine was that she was a pretty classy lady.

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Josephine passed away at Valley Hospital and Medical Center. The hospital was located in the county until 2003. That is when Spokane Valley incorporated.