Joe Sam Queen was the senator to the North Carolina General Assembly

North Carolina General Assembly

The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...

 representing the state's forty-seventh Senate

North Carolina Senate

The North Carolina Senate is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly.Its prerogatives and powers are similar to those of the other house, the House of Representatives. Its members do, however, represent districts that are larger than those of their colleagues in the House. The...

 district, including constituents in Avery

Avery County, North Carolina

- Climate :As a result of its relatively high elevation, Avery County has a Humid continental climate enjoying considerably cooler summers than most of the rest of the Eastern US. Likewise, winters are longer, colder and snowier than most other locations in the region. This can be evidenced by the...

, Haywood

Haywood County, North Carolina

-National protected areas:* Blue Ridge Parkway * Great Smoky Mountains National Park * Pisgah National Forest -Major Highways & Roads:* Interstate 40* U.S. Highway 19* U.S. Highway 23* U.S. Highway 74* U.S...

, Madison

Madison County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,635 people, 8,000 households, and 5,592 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile . There were 9,722 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...

, McDowell

McDowell County, North Carolina

-Cities and towns:*Marion *Old Fort-Unincorporated places:*West Marion*Little Switzerland*Nebo*Glenwood*Pleasant Gardens*North Cove-Education:The following is a list of schools located in McDowell County:*Marion Elementary School...

, Mitchell

Mitchell County, North Carolina

-National protected areas:* Blue Ridge Parkway * Pisgah National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 15,687 people, 6,551 households, and 4,736 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 7,919 housing units at an...

 and Yancey

Yancey County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,774 people, 7,472 households, and 5,372 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile . There were 9,729 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile...

 counties from 2007 till 2011. An architect from Waynesville, North Carolina

Waynesville, North Carolina

Waynesville is a town in and the county seat of Haywood County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest town in Haywood County and the largest in Western North Carolina west of Asheville. Waynesville is located about or 50 km southwest of Asheville between the Great Smoky and Blue...

, Queen served one previous term (2003-2004 session) in the state Senate before being defeated in 2004 by former Yancey County

Yancey County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,774 people, 7,472 households, and 5,372 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile . There were 9,729 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile...

commissioner Keith Presnell. Queen then defeated Presnell in 2006 and again in 2008.

A sixth generation resident of Haywood County, North Carolina, Queen is also heavily involved in other civic and cultural activities, including producing the Summer Street Dances on Main Street in Waynesville and serving as director of the Smoky Mountain Folk Festival for more than 30 years. He has also served as a boy scout master, a Sunday school teacher, a youth soccer coach and on various board and committees.

He is married to Dr. Kate Queen and has two children in college. He has an architectural practice in Waynesville.