MONROE — Members of the Huber family lightheartedly refer to one longtime city business as the reason they are all together today.
“We joke that my brother and I wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the Monroe Dairy Queen,” Rebecca Cassel said, laughing in reference to a running joke between herself and brother Nick Huber. “We say we try to pay homage to Dairy Queen whenever we can.”
The restaurant was where their mother, then Judy Obert, was working when she met their father, Herman Huber. She was a native of South Wayne, working a summer job while on break from attending the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He worked in the 800 block of 8th Street, running his own gas station.
Herman was a Dairy Queen regular, going to the restaurant for “coffee, lunch and dinner,” Cassel said. He took notice of Judy, but the pair were acquaintances for a year.
“I come down here and she was working down here, home from school,” Herman said. “She was a college kid then.”
“I guess I never got too excited,” he added with a laugh.
Judy said she noticed Herman, and his work ethic, as he rushed in and out during meal times.
“He would just fly in and pick up his lunch and go back to work,” Judy said. “He was a busy guy, hard worker; didn’t say much.”
Though it took a year, Judy said Herman managed to ask her out on a date. The two attended Fourth of July fireworks in 1966. Two years later, they were married.
Once Judy graduated with a degree in medical technology, she went to train at a hospital in Freeport for two years before the couple settled in Monroe. Judy began her work as a laboratory technician at St. Clare Hospital, continuing when it became Monroe Clinic. Herman worked as a mechanic throughout his life, owning his own station called Huber’s Pure Oil, working most of his life for Charles Dearth.
It all started with the chance meeting at Dairy Queen. The establishment was then owned by Susie and Glenn Beck. Judy’s sister Jane worked there as well.
“From what I understand it was quite the happening place; this was the place to be in the 60s,” Cassel said. “A lot of people worked here or stopped here.”
A group of more than 15 family members and friends, including the Becks, packed into the restaurant to surprise Judy and Herman on their 50th wedding anniversary July 21. Cassel arranged the surprise, even having both of her parents blindfolded for the drive to DQ.
“I kind of thought it was tied into this, but I didn’t know,” Herman said. “I thought maybe we’d get stopped by the cops.”
Her mother and father were brought in separate cars. Judy showed up first and was put to work creating ice cream cones. When Herman arrived, she served one to him, leaning over the counter to ask, “and what would you like?” as he smiled and rubbed the back of his neck in the aftermath of the surprise.
Judy said the Becks were more like family than bosses. Their late son, Greg, was even a ring bearer for the Hubers’ wedding. She would take him on outings as a child, including the Green County Fair.
Judy was even able to check an item from her bucket list. She said she had been wanting to return to make ice cream cones, noting it came naturally after a few attempts even if it had been nearly half a century since she had tried to make one. Family and friends huddled in the space, enjoying ice cream and laughing, taking group photos to remember the day commemorating where it all started.
