Pictured: Darwin and you may Julie (DeWitt) Garcia ‘19 on the wedding day for the Sioux Drops, when you look at the (left) and you may John and you will Shelly (Knudson) Material ‘94 to their wedding day into the Marshall, Minnesota, in August 1995 (right).
You can’t spell “love” versus Ole, and two Augustana University lovers are facts. Once the previous Viking Weeks royalty, John and you may Shelly (Knudson) Material ‘94 and Darwin and Julie (DeWitt) Garcia ‘19, got their headings away from “king and you will queen” and you can turned him or her with the “wife and husband.”
With the October. 11, 1993, best friends, John and Shelly (Knudson) Stone ‘94, was named Viking Weeks King and Queen, much on their shock. Following coronation, John are cited about Augustana Echo saying the good thing of getting crowned queen “try addressing wade almost everywhere that have Shelly Knudson!”
“I think he was type of flirting beside me as the he said that throughout the newspaper, so try quite smooth,” Shelly chuckled.
Nearly 1 year towards time they certainly were crowned, John advised to help you Shelly. And you may, ten weeks after, new Stones was basically hitched.
The newest couple’s story first started within Augustana when you look at the 1990, once they was indeed each other first-seasons student-players – John, an effective Peterson, Iowa, indigenous, try a basketball user and you can Shelly, from . Both joined AU’s chapter of Fellowship away from Religious Players (FCA).
John graduated that spring season having a past significant and you will secondary studies certificate, and you will Shelly lived a supplementary year to accomplish their medical significant. On Oct. 18, 1994, simply a-year and another month once they was in fact crowned queen and queen, John is requested by FCA to go back to help you Augustana and you can chat.
“It was along with Shelly’s birthday celebration, and 
that i took the woman so you’re able to Minervas downtown,” John told you. “Following, one of my friends stayed in my old dormitory space in Solberg (Hall), thus i got him or her set it up, and i advised so you can Shelly for the Solberg.
The couple had partnered inside the August 1995, into the Marshall, Minnesota. The new FCA worship band did tunes towards ceremony, and you will other than several household members and you can siblings, their main wedding party and you can guests have been made up away from Augustana alumni.
Today, almost 3 decades after they have been crowned Viking Months king and you can king, the couple stays in Peterson, Iowa, in which John could have been helping into friends farm while doing law just like the a controlling lover regarding Stone Hutchinson, PLLP. Shelly is the administrator movie director of one’s Connection of Violent storm Lake, a confident youth invention nonprofit ministry. The new Rocks enjoys about three children, Joseph, twenty four, Lincoln, twenty-two, and you can Caleb, 20.
Which have almost 3 decades regarding relationships less than their belts, the fresh Rocks said acknowledging and prioritizing each other are very important so you’re able to one dating.
“Stroll with humility, be happy to forgive and be grateful into you to definitely that you will get to walk by way of lifestyle which have,” Shelly said.
“Shelly is the identical today since she was then where she really links with people perfectly,” John told you. “She actually is and additionally never apprehensive with the thought of having to do things which would like to get over, so this woman is very healthy like that.”
Both Shelly and you may John told you they might be thankful you to Augustana supplied her or him opportunities to grow as individuals, and additionally assistance and you can reassurance.
“It actually was a superb university experience,” John told you. “I’d a really good degree, friends and a good wife.”
When Darwin and you can Viking Months Queen and you will King, thank you about crowd have been loud because the longtime couples presented to possess pictures, beaming at each and every most other.
The latest Garcia’s story began into the 2016, at the end of their first year at the s Work environment (IPO) Rendezvous where Darwin is providing a speech to the their home nation, Honduras. Immediately after learning they’d a mutual pal, both started to speak and you can plan investigation dates. Yet not, the end of the fresh instructional seasons intended Darwin would go homeward to help you Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on the summer, and you will Julie to help you Yankton, Southern Dakota. They reconnected on the slide, and a few weeks afterwards, Darwin had a shock.
“I took her getting a walk, and in addition we prevented regarding the gazebo by the Government Strengthening,” Darwin said. “I’d my good friend disappear specific cupcakes for me one to said, ‘Are you currently my girlfriend?’”
Julie recognized, and 36 months and you can some research dates after, the happy couple finished regarding Bien au in the 2019. Darwin was an effective physics and mathematics twice significant, and you can Julie is a breastfeeding significant. Shortly after graduation, it relocated to Rochester, Minnesota, where Julie try a registered nurse during the Mayo Infirmary Disaster Department, and you can Darwin was a good Ph.D. applicant at Mayo Medical center Graduate College from Biomedical Sciences.
Within the , Darwin had several other wonder. He previously a professional photographer and you may members of the family happy to assist him remove it well. Upcoming, the fresh pandemic struck, and you can Minnesota are toward lockdown. Just like the Julie are dealing with clients that have COVID-19, the couple decided it was most useful to not travel.
“I created a beneficial scavenger have a look, and that i informed her it actually was a grad college interest one I desired this lady to experience,” Darwin said. “It led their in order to good gazebo around where I’d pictures hung up and cupcakes again, but this time they said, ‘Do you actually wed myself?’”
“I’m particular disturb exactly how clueless I found myself, such as, I truly had no tip,” Julie laughed. “Really don’t think of a single phrase he said, it was extremely special how much time and energy the guy put in they. And you will, the cupcakes introduced it back to where it started, that has been most nice.”
The happy couple tied up the knot inside Sioux Drops, for the , an event Julie described as both “a great Latino-Midwest collection wedding” and you may “an informed go out ever before.” The wedding – good Lutheran and you can Catholic service shared – is laden with Augustana associations. Fr. Kevin O’Dell, AU’s former chaplain, did the fresh Catholic portion of the ceremony, and you can former Professor out-of Spanish Sam Ogdie interpreted the latest ceremony for Darwin’s household members, who was simply around from Honduras.
The new Garcias desire to down the road hold a marriage lobby during the Honduras and then visit certainly one of the isles for their honeymoon. Until then, the couple is largely pleased having Augustana delivering him or her together.
“Julie finds out contentment in possibly the tiniest out-of something and certainly will most change my day – if the I am troubled and you may overwhelmed, she can brighten my time together contentment,” told you Darwin.
“Instead of Augie, there is probably no way that people will have even satisfied,” Julie added. “So, the audience is simply very grateful for Augustana since in which else you are going to one to partnership takes place?”