John Dawson

John "Gene" E. Dawson also was known as "Miss Gina" in his younger days. He considered himself a farmer at heart and also worked in factories and as a waiter, beautician, and tax preparer. Gene never forgot what he learned in his country-school English classes and used those skills to begin writing "Farm Boy, City Girl" at age 72. He lived in St. Louis.
John "Gene" E. Dawson passed away on September 21, 2020, just seven months after his book, "Farm Boy, City Girl" was published.
Dawson was posthumously awarded a PenCraft Award for his memoir.