Contrary to what most people believe, the Phipps family is not new to
     Barber County. The Ronald Phipps family, Ron, Judy, Jamie, and Todd,
     moved to Medicine Loge in May, 1973. But Ron's family originated in the
     Isabel area. His dad is Garland Phipps, son of Ora and Fern Garland Phipps,
     who farmed southwest of Isabel and raised their family, Bill, Garland,
     Lloyd, and Berniece. Ora is now deceased and Fern, Bill, and Garland and
     their families live in the Cimarron, Kansas, area. Lloyd lives in Emporia
     with his family, and Berniece lives in Wichita.
       Ronald Dean Phipps was born to Garland and Ruth Johnson Phipps in Dodge
     City on April 24, 1947. He has one older sister, Carol, two brothers, 
     Rodney and Steve, and a younger sister, Joyce.
       Judith Ann, whose parents, Jim and Doris Unger Phelps, originated in
     Cimarron, was born in Vallejo, California, April 10, 1948, while her father
     was in the Marines. She is the oldest of four children, with two brothers,
     Ted and Danny, and a sister, Lori. After living in Washington, California,
     and Nevada, the family moved back to Cimarron to take over the family farm.
       Ron and Judy met and began dating in high school. They were married
     September 2, 1967, in Cimarron. Their first home was in Pittsburg, Kansas,
     where Ron was attending Pittsburg State Vocational School, taking auto body
     repair.
       Judy had taken a fashion merchandising course at Patricia Stevens Career
     College in Wichita before their marriage but began office work instead,
     while Ron completed his schooling. The fashion course came in handy in a
     domestic way as she set up housekeeping and raising a family.
       The couple was blessed with a little pink bundle which arrived January 17,
     1969, when Jamie Lynnette was born in nearby Parsons.
       From Pittsburg, the young family moved to Wichita for a few months. Big
     city life just was not for these 'country kids,' so they moved to Pratt
     where Ron worked for the Ford dealership as a body man. All the while he
     was perfeting a trade for which his reputation is well known.
       Ron was bery proud when on May 11, 1972, his first son, Todd Erron, was
     born. With two little ones at home, Judy began full time mothering.
       A friend told Ron about a shop in Medicine Lodge that needed a body man.
     After much thought, Ron decided to move his family to Medicine Lodge. Jamie
     was 4 and Todd was 1 year old.
       After several months the body shop business was for sale, so Ron began
     his first business venture. This meant the need for a bookkeeper so, of
     course, the wife is always available and very cheap. Thus began a very
     successful business becaue, although we don't wish it on anyone, there
     always seems to be wrecks.
       On September 16, 1977, Brandon Dean bounced into the household to keep
     Mom on her toes!
       The family is involved in activities of the United Methodist Church. Ron
     is in Jaycees and the Army Reserves. Judy helps in the Girl Scouts. As the
     children get older, the activities we are in increase.
       We praise the Lord for each of our children and the good health we all
     enjoy. God has been so good to us as he patiently leads us and we grow in
     His love. We have learned to lean on Him and trust Him as we strive to be
     Christians.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 367