Duane and Donna Queen

God's Plan

"FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU," DECLARES THE LORD, "PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT HARM YOU, PLANS TO GIVE HOPE AND A FUTURE."
Jeremiah 29:11

Duane Queen (MDiv'69) began his college journey in 1965 at Louisville Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. After being there for a week, Duane decided it was not the place for him. Luckily, Louisville Seminary started classes a week before the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, so he made the decision to transfer. Because he enrolled late, the seminary dorm was full and he and Claude Jones (MDiv'69) were assigned to live in the cottages for married couples before transitioning to the dorm with other seminarians. It was all part of God's plan, as Duane and Claude would become good friends and play a role in this love story.

"I knew UDTS was the place I was meant to be; it just felt like home," Duane said.

God also played a role in leading Donna Blackmun (C'70) to the University of Dubuque.

"I knew I wanted to go to a Presbyterian University so my pastor helped make the connection with a UD admission counselor. He came to visit me at my home, told me about UD, showed me photos, and I decided right then and there that I was going to UD," Donna said.

She lived in Aitchison Hall her first three years of college. Donna was active with Gamma Phi Delta and worked in the dining hall.

It wasn't until October 1968 when God brought Donna and Duane together.

Duane was a senior and had been away from campus for a year while serving as an intern at the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Dodge, Iowa, from fall 1967 to fall 1968.

"After I had been on campus for a few weeks, a seminary classmate and friend, Jerry Iwerks (MDiv'68) and his wife, Dot, inquired if I was dating anyone. They were the dorm parents in Aitchison Hall and told me they knew a student who they thought I should ask out for a date. Her name was Donna Blackmun from Hammond, Indiana," Duane said.

Because Donna worked in the dining hall and all students shared the dining hall, he knew who she was before he decided to give her a call using the pay phone in Smith Hall.

"I asked her out for the coming Friday evening. She replied that she already had a date. So, I asked her out for Saturday night and again she replied that she also had a date for Saturday night. Being the persistent person that I am, I asked her out for Sunday night and she said she would go," Duane said.

Turns out, Jerry and Dot had suggested to a few other seminary students that Donna was quite the catch and they should ask her out.

"I thought it was a bit strange that I had three seminarians call me and ask me on dates for the same weekend," Donna said. "But when Duane and I went on our date, it just kind of clicked for both of us."

Duane and Donna enjoyed dinner and the movie Hang 'Em High for their first date. Donna was so confident that Duane was her soulmate that she told her roommate, Sandy LeBryk (C'70), that she was going to marry him.

Duane's senior year in seminary and Donna's junior year at UD was a wonderful one. The couple had many meaningful walks around campus and studied together in the library or the lounge in Van Vliet Hall. Donna was a medical tech major, so she spent many hours in the lab at Goldthorp Hall where Duane would often meet her afterwards. They also enjoyed gathering with other students in the "fish bowl" in front of Aitchison Hall at the end of an evening date. After a busy day of ministry and studying, the two would enjoy a 15 cent burger at Sandy's on Sunday evenings.

In May 1969, Duane graduated from UDTS and accepted a call to be the associate pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, Nebraska, in June. Soon after, in July, Donna accepted an intern medical technology position at General Rose Memorial Hospital in Denver, Colorado. Even though over 400 miles separated the two, they continued their relationship. The couple would talk on the phone once a week and Donna commuted to Hastings by train or plane one weekend a month.

"We were both so busy that it worked. If there were church events, I would travel to Hastings. But on weekends that there wasn't much going on, I would go visit Duane," Donna said.

During one of Donna's visits over Labor Day weekend 1969, Duane asked for her hand in marriage. When Donna arrived at Duane's home, she noticed that Romeo and Juliet was playing on the record player. On the end table sat a little wooden box that Duane received during his ordination. The box always sat there, but this time, it held the engagement ring.

Duane asked Donna, "Would you like to be Queen for life?"

Of course she couldn't say no to that! The two added wedding planning to their busy schedules. Donna completed her intern position and returned to Hammond just three days before their wedding on July 4, 1970. Duane's roommate, Claude, married the couple at First Presbyterian Church in Hammond, Indiana, with many other pastors in attendance. They held a reception for around 200 people in the church basement, serving cake, mints, and 'Gamma Punch' - a mixture of ginger ale and lime sherbet. A second reception was held in South Sioux City, Nebraska, for family and friends who could not attend the first one in Hammond.

The newlyweds celebrated their honeymoon in Oxford, England - but not by choice. Duane had continuing education classes at the Mansfield College at Oxford University, so they traveled together and got to see Europe on the weekends and in between classes. They said they feel blessed to have gotten to explore England, Germany, Paris, and Amsterdam early on in their marriage. Even though they were enjoying their honeymoon, the studies never stopped. Duane was busy with his classes; Donna studied for the National Registry Exam, which she took at Oxford University.

The couple returned home to Hastings in August 1970. Duane continued to serve the church while Donna started to work at Mary Lanning Hospital. She worked there until December 1971 when the couple was expecting their first child. Phil was born in 1972 and Paula in 1975. Donna continued to work as she could, but only part time, focusing on raising their children and being involved with the church.

After serving 10 years as the assistant pastor in Hastings, God guided the Queen family to Storm Lake, Iowa. Dr. Silas Kessler (C'32, BDiv'34) was an interim pastor at Storm Lake and suggested Duane fill the pastoral position. Duane and Donna accepted the call to ministry and moved their family to their forever home in Storm Lake.

Donna worked as a medical tech for a few months before their third child, Lara, was born in 1980. As the children got older, Donna wanted to work in the school system so her schedule would be similar to the children's schedule. She worked for 10 years as an instructional assistant teaching English as a Second Language. She was also instrumental in starting a before and after school program at the middle school, which she led for 10 years before retiring in June 2008. Duane retired in April 2008.

In retirement, the couple stays busy. They love being in Storm Lake with their golden retriever, Ginger, and spending time with their kids and grandkids. They are involved with the community through the Kiwanis Club, Cosmopolitan Club, and food pantry. They also direct the Hy Noon Kiwanis Triathlon/Duathlon every August. Duane serves as needed at the Lakeside Presbyterian Church and Donna enjoys quilting, P.E.O, and the women's organization at church.

"We have horses and I enjoy woodworking," Duane said. "I am currently working on making a bat holder for our grandson. We do a lot of things together. I make the holder and Donna stains it. Or while I am working on my projects, Donna will tend to the garden, but we are always together."

Duane and Donna enjoy taking summer fishing trips to Minnesota and short winter trips to Sedona, Arizona.

However, their favorite celebration is the Star Spangled Spectacular Celebration held every year in Storm Lake on their wedding anniversary. Over 10,000 people come to Storm Lake to celebrate with a parade and an evening filled with fireworks, love, and laughter. That is how you will find these two UD grads spending their anniversary every year.