It's my story

Editor’s note: Sundance FCCLA members have been spending time with the elderly within the community, including at the Crook County Long Term Care facility. As part of their time together, FCCLA members have interviewed residents and created biographies to honor them and their lives. These are their stories.

John Edward Queen

B Sydney Robinson

Sundance FCCLA

John was born in Sundance, Wyoming. From what he remembers hearing, he was born in his aunt’s house. His mother’s maiden name was Crago.

John spent first grade in Trojan, South Dakota, where his dad worked for Homestake Mine breaking rock for the crusher in the mine. He then spent second through eighth grade at a country school on Inyan Kara, which is now known as the Hadley Ranch. He went to high school in Sundance.

One of John’s childhood places that stood out the most to him was a one-room schoolhouse when he lived around Sundance. He doesn’t remember what his home in Trojan was like. He lived in many different places. Another thing that stands out in his memories was when he was about four and lived very close to Sundance Mountain.

In high school, John liked playing sports. He played football and wrestled. He always worked around the ranch, went to movies in Sundance, Moorcroft and Upton on Saturday nights, and occasionally went to dances. However, he was never really in town to “hang out”. 

Growing up he never really had any pets, but the people he worked for had a collie dog he would play with. He enjoyed being involved in FFA in school because it pertained a lot to the ranch and raising stock and grain. His best friend’s name was Rosslyn.

His goals were to own a ranch and become a rancher. However, that never happened. Instead, he worked for ranchers and then went to work for the state highway department. He worked at the DOT for over twenty years.

At age 23, he was married and then moved around to different ranches before he moved to Moorcroft in 1965. He retired from the DOT in 1993. He has now been married for 60 years. They were blessed with two children.

When I asked John if he had any advice for future generations, he told me that he didn’t really have any because he isn’t very good at giving advice. He did say, “You get what you get and sometimes you can’t change it. You just have to take a step forward and not whine about it.” I think that that is pretty good advice!