City: A Conway native and resident.

Education: Conway Public Schools, Hendrix College and UCA, where I received a B.S.E. in education with a major in art and a minor in social studies. My “informal education” came from watching my mother cook and sew, and tagging along behind my botanist dad, “helping” him collect and identify native plants and grasses.

Work: I first taught geography and American history at Conway Junior High School. The next 21 years were at Conway High School, where I initially taught world history and American history, then only art history and applied art classes.

Why did you decide to go into your field: I didn’t! I was guided into it by University of Central Arkansas’s Dr. Audie Lynch who studied my jigsaw puzzle called a transcript. He found a few pieces that fit empty spaces and I ended up doing what I enjoyed!

Why do you enjoy history: I grew up with turn-of-the-20th-century parents and had the good sense to listen to their life stories. That transferred later to local history and my interest in genealogy.

Community activities: Past president of the former Old Conway Preservation Society; a graduate of the Citizen’s Police Academy; and a 10-year editor of the Faulkner County Historical Society’s journal “Faulkner Facts and Fiddlings.”

Church activities: Member of Robinson Avenue Baptist Church.

Family: My husband, Gerald Hogue, and our children (Gerald Jr., Ginger, Amy and Rob); my late parents, Marvin and Bessie Lawson; brothers, the late Wilbur G. Lawson, M.D., Marvin A. Lawson, J. Larry Lawson, M.D., and the late Noel W. Lawson, M.D.

Motto: “Nothing is ever simple.”

Most enjoyed weekend activity: Working on genealogy and gardening. 

What do you love about living in the 501: The “501” covers 11 centrally-located Arkansas counties. From it, the four areas of geographical and cultural differences of the state can be experienced roundtrip in a day’s time.