Our Story

A Cause for the Kids

When passion meets purpose, lives change. For Steven “Dukie” Corson, this convergence has become a calling.

After a sudden retinal and macular detachment, Dukie found himself undergoing surgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. What he didn’t realize at the time was that this medical emergency would spark a personal transformation—and a mission that would touch countless lives.

As the retired President of his family’s business, Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home, Dukie has spent decades offering comfort to grieving families. Raised with the deep understanding that tomorrow is never promised, he has long lived by the belief that life is fragile, and no one is in control of their fate. Mortality, he knows, is universal.

Throughout his career, Dukie became known for his unshakable optimism, steadfast integrity, and boundless generosity. For nearly 40 years, he’s been a pillar of support in Waverly and surrounding communities, offering solace to those navigating life’s hardest moments.

When doctors told him he would never regain vision in his right eye, Dukie didn’t dwell in despair. Instead, he looked outward—specifically, to the building next door: the Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City. As he sat with the news of his permanent loss, he realized that he was far from the worst off. Inspired by the strength of the children he saw around him, Dukie made a decision. He would turn his personal loss into hope for others.

That hope took the shape of Dukie’s One Eye Open, a charitable golf event with one clear goal: to raise critical funds for the children receiving care at Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Now heading into its final year, the fourth and last tournament will take place Friday, July 18, 2025, at Prairie Links Golf and Event Center.

This is no ordinary golf tournament. It’s a day charged with energy, purpose, and heart—bringing people together to laugh, compete, and most importantly, give generously. Every swing, every step on the green, helps fuel a cause far greater than the game.

Because for Dukie, losing sight in one eye opened his vision to something bigger: a chance to help give kids the future they deserve.