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Today's Featured Biography

Shirley Overton Quick

I'm not rich or famous, and I haven't traveled to see the world, but I have met lots of wonderful people on my journey and done lots of exciting things. I have been truly blessed. I have a daughter, Lana Kay, and a grandson, Connor Ray. I can't imagine life without them in it. They are such a joy and blessing to me.

When I graduated I went to Wichita, KS and worked as a telephone operator for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. I came back here a couple of years later and went to work as an executive secretary for Wendt-Sonis Tool Co. in Rogers. I also worked on their TWX, telex, Western-Union, and PBX. When computers came to their company they trained me as a keypunch operator. Remember when bills had square holes punched in them? That's what the machines did. I then went to the computer department at the University of Arkansas and became their lead verifier. My boss left there and went to Askew Enterprises and asked me to go there and work for him, which I did and was trained as a computer operator. I then went to work for the government as a U.S.D.A. Inspector. After 10 years I became disabled and had to quit work. I stayed home and raised my daughter.

I have done many exciting things which included being president of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Mildred Lee Chapter, Fayetteville for many years. I was also elected as president for the northern part of the state. They are a group of ladies that had a ancestor that fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. I also had ancestors that fought on the Union side, but there are no groups here for that. We did work to help the schools, libraries, VA Hospital and National Cemetery. We also gave scholarships to area students. I was appointed by the president to serve on a national committee to help preserve Civil War Battlefields. I was awarded the Jefferson Davis Historical Medal for my published works to help preserve Southern history.

I did volunteer work for two years on the book History of Washington County Arkansas, writing stories for people to put in the book as well as stories for local newspapers. I met so many interesting people there. Mary Ellen Johnson became interested in the stories of the Orphan Train Riders and started The Orphan Train Heritage Society of America (OTHSA), and I was voted secretary. Unsolved Mysteries became interested in the orphan train riders and came to the area to film a story, and I was picked to play the part of a worker from the orphanage in NY that brought a train load of children to the area. Filming on the old cars between here and Van Buren, and then in Eureka Springs was such an experience as well as adventure back in history. Like I said, I've met some great people and had some fun times.

My most rewarding job and adventure has of course been being a mother. From being a Girl Scout leader and planting trees and flowers around town, to hauling a car load of kids to gymnastics competitions or ball games for school, it's been a real blast. My daughter is now a teacher at SHS in the health and medical professions classes.

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