Virgil and Rola Gray met at a lawn party at the Bird home in Isabel. The
  Bird's home was the house where the Bill Beckers now live across Main Street
  from the school house. The Grays now live on the street of the school house.
     Virgil is the son of Ed and Phenia (Kilmer) Gray, deceased, who lived and
  farmed in the Nashville area of Kingman County. Virgil is the only member of
  his family to live in Barber County.
     Rola is the daughter of William and Emma Phipps, deceased. At the age of
  four Rola's youngest brother, Byrl, became very ill in Indiana where the
  Phipps family lived. The doctor thought a change i climate might be helpful
  to "little Byrl." After the sale of the farm there, however, the young lad
  passed away before the family left Indiana. It was a hearbreaking experience
  for the whole family to leave after burying the youngest member of the family.
  Nevertheless, the family did move as planned, so since 1916 Isabel has been
  the home for Rola. Her family members were Ora, who married Fern Callen; her
  parents were proprietors of the hotel in Isabel: Arria married Ed Miller, a 
  Pratt Co. farmer; Lona married John McKay; Gertie, married Charles Meairs,
  cashier of Isabel State Bank; Thelma, married Roy Parkey who was a grocery
  man, later managed the Farmers Coop.
     Rola and Virgil and Thelma and Roy had a double wedding in Wichita in
  1922.
     Virgil farmed with his father for a time in Kingman Co., but he preferred
  oil field work. Virgil's occupation meant long hours away from home seven days
  a week, so Rola did not consider work outside the home until the youngest was
  started in the IOOF hall about his time, so naturally the best cooks were
  sought out to do the cooking. Rola qualified and after some persuasion agreed
  to try it. She was employed a number of years. She also worked at the Medicine
  Lodge Memorial Hospital as a nurse's aide for several years.
     Their children are Bill, who lived in Lyons, passed in December 1977; 
  Robert lives in Iowa; Jack, an army career officer, passed away in November
  1976; Don, a bank examiner, lives in Overland Park, KS; Jane (Mrs. Elmer)
  Rogers lives in Durango, Colorado.
     Although Virgil has been in failing health for several years, he and Rola 
  are faithful in attendance to the Methodist Church where both are members.
  Rola has held offices in the Women's Society of Christian Service and had
  been active in the work of it for over 50 years.
               
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 202