Soo Line: The memorable career of a memorable teacher

By Soo Greiman

Laura Angove has spent the past 20 years at Hudson Community Schools serving students as both an art  and TAG (Talented and Gifted) teacher. Now, with 37 years in education, she is among the three veteran  teachers retiring at the end of the 2025-26 school year.  

As a student, Laura (Winter) Angove grew up in Waterloo, attending parochial schools during her  elementary and junior high years. While at Columbus High School, she discovered her two passions: art  and community service. Inspired by both, she attended UNI and earned a degree in art education. But  after graduation, a serious predicament arose — Laura could not find a teaching job. Admittedly, the next  area she sought employment in was far removed from teaching. Packing her bags, she moved to Chicago  to work as a nanny for a year.  

The following year, after returning to Waterloo, a chance phone call from her former art teacher helped  her land a position teaching art at her alma mater.  

“I became a full-time art teacher, basketball coach and dance line coach for a short time,” she recalled.  

In the meantime, she met and married her husband, Garland Angove. Sadly, after six years of marriage,  the young couple was told they could not have children.  

Focusing on her career, Laura returned to UNI to obtain a degree in gifted education. In the middle of  working toward her master’s degree, however, she discovered God had other plans for her. Though she  completed the necessary coursework, when the time came to receive her diploma, an exciting arrival kept  her from walking across the stage.  

“On the day I was supposed to graduate, I had my son!”  

That event, she speculated, changed the course of her life. If not for his birth, she believes she might  never have left her teaching position at Columbus, quietly tucked away her new master’s degree and  continued teaching there for several more years. 

Later, when a retired art teacher substituting at Hudson heard the district’s high school art teacher and  elementary TAG positions were opening, Laura acted quickly.  

“After applying for the job, I drove through town, noticing how nice it felt as a community.”  That’s how, after 17 years as a Sailor, Angove laughs, she “jumped ship to become a Pirate.”  

Her first 14 years in Hudson were spent serving as a K-6 TAG teacher and high school art instructor.  Later, after Hudson Schools grew to meet Iowa gifted education guidelines, Laura relinquished her role as  a 7-12 art teacher to become a full-time K-12 TAG instructor for the next six years.  

Ultimately, she noted her teaching methods relied on an effective three-pronged focus that wove together  creativity, general giftedness and leadership/service.  

With a huge supply of great memories from her TAG experience, the longtime instructor listed several  favorites, including having students plan and present ideas for the splash pad to the Hudson City Council,  working with the high school Leo Club and helping organize Socktober for the Salvation Army.  

That effort earned Hudson Middle School students recognition earlier in 2026 as Volunteer Youth Group  of the Year after collecting more than 2,000 pairs of socks distributed during weekly food giveaways.  

Also significant to her was a tradition involving fourth-grade students.  

During all 20 years she served as TAG teacher, her fourth-grade students — assisted by classmates —  wrote, directed, memorized and performed a play centered on saving trees.  

“Because of the Arbor Day activity, Hudson is recognized by Tree City USA, with students helping plant  trees,” she explained. “Honestly, this is a core memory for my students. It’s become a tradition of students  working together to create something special.”  

Being a full-time TAG teacher also meant Laura handled Friday door duty greeting students. To add a  little drama to the occasion, she wears a crown and carries a microphone while welcoming students with a  cheerful “Happy Friday.”  

Not surprisingly, students eventually began referring to her as “the Queen.”  

“When they ask why I’m the Queen, I say, ‘Because I am the oldest,’” she laughed. “Some of the littles  make me art, so as a reward I give them little resin animals. I love the hugs and smiles.”  

Angove is delighted many of her former students from Columbus now have children attending Hudson  Schools.  

“I also have former students from Hudson who now have students here,” she said. “I love seeing old  students and hearing their stories and memories of things I forgot long ago.”  

She is grateful to see at least seven of her former students currently pursuing art degrees in college. Even  more amazing to her is the fact some former students now teach at Hudson themselves.  

Aware retirement will begin a new chapter, Laura smiled while discussing what comes next. 

“My son and daughter-in-law live in Flower Mound, Texas, north of Dallas. Because his name is Dallas, I  always joke that I should have named him Hudson,” she laughed.  

Dallas earned an art degree from the University of Iowa before later graduating from Iowa State  University with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. He now works as an emergency veterinarian. His  wife, Shannon, graduated from Allen College and works as a labor and delivery nurse, although she  currently stays home full- time with their nearly 2-year-old daughter.  

“One of my goals is to spend more time in Texas,” Laura added.  

Noting she has been married to Garland for 34 years, Laura said, “He has a passion for art and framing.  He owns Garland’s Frame Shoppe and has done this for 48 years. I think he is everyone’s favorite framer,  but I am biased.”  

Also on her “bucket list” is writing and illustrating children’s books, volunteering in the community,  taking communion to hospitals and helping at the Salvation Army. She also looks forward to riding many  miles on her husband’s Harley and helping her mother with yardwork.  

Mrs. Angove, as students know her, will teach her final day at Hudson on May 29.  Asked if she had anything to add, the longtime teacher paused before sharing one final compliment.  

“This community has a strong pride in their town and the school system,” she said. “As you know, we are  ranked high as a successful school, and I am proud to be a part of Pirate pride. I will miss my teacher  friends, the students and being the Queen. Leaving here is bittersweet, and I hope I will not be forgotten  too soon.”