This year’s 2024 Beef Days Grand Marshal is Duane Mensen accompanied by his wife Celeste. Duane is no stranger to Solon Beef Days as he’s spent 20 years carrying grand marshals in his Mustang GT convertibles. Duane purchased his first classic 1967 Mustang GT in 2001. After being restored locally, Duane and his Mustang became a regular in Solon Beef Days and Homecoming parades over the next several years. Duane sold the car on Beef Days 2021 and learned that his classic car is now part of collection on the French Virgin Islands.
Duane was born and raised in Petersburg, Iowa on a family farm where his brother still farms. He came to the Shueyville area in 1986 to work for UPS then moving to Solon in 1994 with all three of his children graduating from Solon schools. A founding member of the Solon Knights of Columbus, there were a few years that the Knights prepared gravy, mashed potatoes, and coleslaw in the Legion kitchen for Beef Days. Duane fondly remembers the Saturday night kitchen crew of himself, Jerry Linderbaum, and Ron Foster with Jim Agne supervising which he summed up as a lot of work but a lot of fun!
Duane also has a special memory of the first time he ever participated in the Beef Day Parade in the late 90’s when he drove a fully restored 1939 UPS delivery truck in the parade with local UPS driver Jeff Davis riding along.
Celeste (Nunemaker) was born and raised in Dundee attending West Delaware schools. She moved to the area in 1992 with her boys attending and graduating from Solon schools. Celeste has enjoyed celebrating Beef Days during her years in Solon with her favorite Beef Days event being the now famous hay bale toss. And for a bit of Beef Days hay bale toss history, Duane’s daughter Kerri claimed 1st place two years in a row in the late 90’s and son Chris also won 1st place in the mid 2000’s!
Celeste and Duane married in 2022 and both are now “mostly” retired. Duane helps to keep Saddleback Ridge Golf Course lawns ready for golfers and Celeste enjoys working part-time at Steindler Clinic and making holiday crafts and participating in craft shows. In March she organized a vendor craft show at the Solon Community Center bringing in 26 vendors! Retirement also means time with family including Celeste’s sons Derek and Zach, Duane’s children Kelli, Kerri, and Chris, and 7 grandchildren Owen, Grace, Evan, Axel, Adeline, Isabella and Emerson. Together, they enjoy renting a lake house in Emmetsburg for a vacation with all the family and traveling the Midwest in their “new” 2014 Mustang GT convertible.
Thank you to Celeste and Duane for their years of supporting Solon Beef Days!
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Gallery • 1 Photos

Duane Mensen’s 1967 Mustang GT was a regular sight in the annual Solon Beef Days and Homecoming parades.