Previous Augustana Viking Days Royalty Keep Rule With her given that Married couples

Pictured: Darwin and you can Julie (DeWitt) Garcia ‘19 to their wedding day within the Sioux Falls, into the (left) and you will John and you can Shelly (Knudson) Rock ‘94 on the special day inside Marshall, Minnesota, in the August 1995 (right).

You cannot spell “love” as opposed to Ole, and two Augustana College or university lovers was facts. While the former Viking Days royalty, John and you will Shelly (Knudson) Rock ‘94 and you can Darwin and you may Julie (DeWitt) Garcia ‘19, took its titles of “queen and king” and you can turned into her or him with the “husband and wife.”

To the Oct. eleven, 1993, best friends, John and you may Shelly (Knudson) Stone ‘94, were called Viking Days King and Queen, far to their amaze. Adopting the coronation, John try quoted on Augustana Reflect claiming the good thing of going crowned queen “are dealing with wade everywhere which have Shelly Knudson!”

“I believe he had been version of teasing beside me just like the the guy mentioned that on newspaper, to ensure that is rather smooth,” Shelly laughed.

Nearly 12 months for the go out these were crowned, John proposed to help you Shelly. And you can, 10 months later on, the fresh new Rocks had been partnered.

The fresh couple's story first started on Augustana in 1990, when they were one another earliest-seasons college student-athletes - John, an effective Peterson, Iowa, local, is actually a ball player and Shelly, off . Both entered AU's chapter of Fellowship regarding Religious Professional athletes (FCA).

John graduated that springtime which have a last big and additional degree certificate, and Shelly stayed an extra season to complete her medical significant. With the Oct. 18, 1994, simply per year and another month after they was basically crowned king and you can king, John is requested because of the FCA to go back so you're able to Augustana and you may speak.

“It was in addition to Shelly's birthday celebration, and i took the lady so you're able to Minervas downtown,” John told you. “Following, among my friends lived-in my personal old dormitory area from inside the Solberg (Hall), so i got her or him set it up, and i proposed to help you Shelly into the Solberg.

He desired to offer elizabeth gazebo in which it been matchmaking

The couple had married inside the August 1995, in Marshall, Minnesota. New FCA praise ring did music to the service, and you will except that a number of household members and you can sisters, the main wedding party and site visitors have been made right up off Augustana alumni.

Now, almost three decades when they have been crowned Viking Months queen and you can king, the happy couple stays in Peterson, Iowa, in which John has been enabling into the household members ranch while doing laws just like the a controlling partner out of Rock Hutchinson, PLLP. Shelly 's the executive manager of your Link out-of Violent storm River, an optimistic youthfulness advancement nonprofit ministry. The fresh new Rocks has actually around three children, Joseph, twenty-four, Lincoln, twenty-two, and you can Caleb, 20.

With almost 30 years from matrimony less than the devices, the fresh Stones said accepting and prioritizing one another are very important so you can any relationships.

“Stroll having humility, often be willing to forgive and stay thankful to the one to that you get simply to walk using existence that have,” Shelly told you.

“Shelly is similar today since she ended up being for the reason that she very connects with people very well,” John told you. “She's together with never daunted by having to do things that need done, thus the woman is most balanced by doing this.”

Both Shelly and you will John told you these are generally pleased you to Augustana granted them chances to grow just like the some one, and additionally assistance and you can reassurance.

From inside the 1994, two months just after Viking Months, John and Shelly produced the matchmaking specialized

“It absolutely was a fabulous school feel,” John told you. “I experienced an astonishing studies, close friends and a wife.”

When Darwin and you may Viking Days Queen and you talkwithstranger nedir can Queen, thanks regarding group was indeed loud given that longtime couples posed to possess images, beaming at each most other.

This new Garcia's tale began when you look at the 2016, at the end of its first 12 months within s Office (IPO) Rendezvous where Darwin was providing a speech towards their house country, Honduras. Once learning they'd a common buddy, the two began to cam and you can plan data dates. Yet not, the end of the newest educational season required Darwin perform return home to help you Tegucigalpa, Honduras, with the june, and you may Julie to help you Yankton, Southern area Dakota. It reconnected on slide, and some weeks later on, Darwin had a surprise.

“We got the woman getting a stroll, and then we prevented in the gazebo by the Administration Strengthening,” Darwin said. “I got my friend disappear specific cupcakes for me one to said, ‘Will you be my personal wife?'”

Julie approved, and three-years and a lot of analysis times later on, the happy couple finished out-of Au inside the 2019. Darwin try a physics and you may mathematics double big, and you will Julie try a nursing biggest. Immediately following graduation, they relocated to Rochester, Minnesota, in which Julie was a rn at Mayo Infirmary Emergency Service, and Darwin is good Ph.D. applicant in the Mayo Clinic Scholar School off Biomedical Sciences.

For the , Darwin got various other wonder. He previously a photographer and relatives prepared to assist your remove it off. Then, the new pandemic struck, and Minnesota is into lockdown. As Julie are coping with customers having COVID-19, the couple felt like it absolutely was most readily useful not to ever take a trip.

“We developed an effective scavenger take a look, and i also shared with her it was a graduate college passion that I wanted the lady to try out,” Darwin told you. “It led the woman in order to a great gazebo in town where I got photo hung up and you may cupcakes again, but now they said, ‘Do you wed me?'”

“I'm kind of disturb on how unaware I was, instance, I must say i had no idea,” Julie chuckled. “I do not contemplate just one term the guy told you, it is actually really special the length of time and energy the guy placed into it. And, the fresh cupcakes brought it full circle, that has been extremely nice.”

The happy couple tied the knot in Sioux Falls, with the , an event Julie named each other “a beneficial Latino-Midwest combination relationship” and you may “an informed date actually.” The marriage - good Lutheran and Catholic services mutual - was packed with Augustana connectivity. Fr. Kevin O'Dell, AU's previous chaplain, performed the brand new Catholic portion of the ceremony, and you may previous Professor regarding Foreign language Sam Ogdie translated this new service to possess Darwin's family, who was simply around of Honduras.

The new Garcias desire to as time goes on hold a married relationship reception inside the Honduras and journey to among the islands due to their honeymoon. Before this, the couple is largely grateful to possess Augustana delivering her or him along with her.

“Julie discovers glee when you look at the even the minuscule of anything and will really change my personal go out - if I'm stressed and overwhelmed, she will brighten my personal time with her joy,” said Darwin.

“Instead of Augie, there can be most likely absolutely no way that individuals will have even fulfilled,” Julie added. “Therefore, we have been only most grateful to possess Augustana given that in which otherwise you'll that partnership occurs?”