Florence Edith Bartholme was born July 29, 1901 at Union City, Erie County, Pennsylvania to Edward H. Bartholme and Lillian Pattison Bartholme. When Florence was ten years old, she was baptized into the First Baptist Church of Union City by Rev. D.L. Woods. Her baptism took place Sunday May 19, 1912. She attended Union City High School from which she graduated and soon after worked as the head book keeper in the Union City Chair Factory. Also at this time, the Baptist Church had an orchestra in which Florence and her brother John participated. Florence was an accomplished pianist and played for the Church and at weddings. William, or Bill Gray, as he was known, also participated in the orchestra, playing the violin. Florence and William began seeing each other and a love blossomed. In the afternoon of Tuesday, October 24, 1922, William, Florence and their mothers traveled to Townville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania in a car soon after a rainstorm where they were to be married. After nearly not reaching Townville because of the muddy roads, the ceremony took place with the Rev. M.M. Clark, pastor of the Townville Baptist Church, officiating. The mothers were the only guests at the wedding. William and Florence resided at 5 1/2 South Main in Union City after their marriage. Bill and Florence were blessed with three daughters: Marian Eloise, Gwendolyn Lucille and Dorothy Margarite. Florence had repeatedly been warned not to have any children after Eloise. Following a six week illness, Florence died from Peritonitis on Friday December 24, 1926 at Union City, Erie County, Pennsylvania, soon after the birth of her daughter Dorothy. Prayer services were held at her home Sunday at 2:00 P.M. and from the church at 2:30 P.M., with the Rev. Mort M. Clark from Townville conducting the service. She was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery. Besides her husband and parents, Florence was survived by her 3 daughters, Marian Eloise Gray, Gwendolyn Lucille Gray and Dorothy Margarite Gray; also by 2 brothers, John and Fredrick Bartholme and more distant relatives.

Bio by John E. Sherman