Minnie Pearl Gray Fox (known as Pearl), was born October 26, 1883 in Adel, Iowa to Oscar Leonidas Gray and Bertha Jane Hayes. She died in Minburn (also in Dallas County) Iowa on 12 June 1969. She graduated from Adel High School in 1902. She taught in rural schools from 1902-1909 before her marriage, continuing her education through Iowa State Teachers' College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. At that time, yearly tests were required in a variety of subjects to maintain certification.
She married Benjamin Fox on 16 March 1910 in Dallas Center, Iowa, and then started farming in Sugar Grove Township, east of Minburn, in Dallas County, Iowa. They had two children, Carolyn Esther and Robert Laverne. She was widowed early, losing her husband, Benjamin, to cancer in 1922 after 12 years of marriage. She raised her children on the farm and continued to farm the land, but eventually moved to the town of Minburn when her son Robert took responsibility for farming. Although most of her family including her parents had moved to California, she remained in Iowa with her children.
She had an abiding faith and was a member of the Minburn Methodist Church. As mentioned by a friend at her funeral, he said the following:
---"She had her lighter side. With today in mind, perhaps, she had copied this verse in her bible:
'Every time I pass a church, I stop in for a little visit, So that, when I'm carried in, The Lord won't say: 'Who is it?'.'
She was known as "Grandma Fox" to the neighborhood children. She kept in touch with youth in the community and encouraged their education as the librarian in Minburn for 20 years. This was totally a voluntary effort. In 1963 when she retired, she was recognized by the community for her service, and was interviewed by a broadcaster from a major radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. She also held highly popular Halloween parties at her house for the town's children.
She enjoyed nature, by feeding birds and through gardening --- growing beautiful roses, iris, gladiolas, and bleeding heart.
She was survived by one son, Robert Fox of Minburn and one daughter Mrs. Esther Royer, Dallas Center, five grandchildren, Ben and Bob Fox of Minburn, Carol Fox Beaman, Jean Royer Dyer, Lawrence Royer, and several great grandchildren.
Pearl had one sister, Ida Belle Gray Batten and three brothers, Walter Leroy Gray (aka Roy), Lovell Claude (aka Claude L) Gray, and Earl Jay Gray. Her siblings, Claude and Roy preceded her in death.
The parents of Pearl's father, Oscar Gray, were:
George Gray (Memorial # 9766425) and
Lydia Jane Macy Gray (Memorial # 7966427).
The parents of her mother, Bertha Jane Hayes Gray, were:
Calvin Campbell Wesley Hayes (Memorial # 177953026) and
Calista L. Ripley Hayes (Memorial # 100354513).
Bertha Jane's mother Calista died when she was about four years old, and she was raised by her stepmother, Eliza M (Lisle) Adams (Memorial # 177953132).
The parents of Calvin Campbell Wesley Hayes were
Hiram Wesley Hayes (Memorial #10851450) and
Almeda Tinkham (Memorial # 100354510).
Submitted by Jean Dyer (Contributor # 49660761), Added August/September 2018
She married Benjamin Fox on 16 March 1910 in Dallas Center, Iowa, and then started farming in Sugar Grove Township, east of Minburn, in Dallas County, Iowa. They had two children, Carolyn Esther and Robert Laverne. She was widowed early, losing her husband, Benjamin, to cancer in 1922 after 12 years of marriage. She raised her children on the farm and continued to farm the land, but eventually moved to the town of Minburn when her son Robert took responsibility for farming. Although most of her family including her parents had moved to California, she remained in Iowa with her children.
She had an abiding faith and was a member of the Minburn Methodist Church. As mentioned by a friend at her funeral, he said the following:
---"She had her lighter side. With today in mind, perhaps, she had copied this verse in her bible:
'Every time I pass a church, I stop in for a little visit, So that, when I'm carried in, The Lord won't say: 'Who is it?'.'
She was known as "Grandma Fox" to the neighborhood children. She kept in touch with youth in the community and encouraged their education as the librarian in Minburn for 20 years. This was totally a voluntary effort. In 1963 when she retired, she was recognized by the community for her service, and was interviewed by a broadcaster from a major radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. She also held highly popular Halloween parties at her house for the town's children.
She enjoyed nature, by feeding birds and through gardening --- growing beautiful roses, iris, gladiolas, and bleeding heart.
She was survived by one son, Robert Fox of Minburn and one daughter Mrs. Esther Royer, Dallas Center, five grandchildren, Ben and Bob Fox of Minburn, Carol Fox Beaman, Jean Royer Dyer, Lawrence Royer, and several great grandchildren.
Pearl had one sister, Ida Belle Gray Batten and three brothers, Walter Leroy Gray (aka Roy), Lovell Claude (aka Claude L) Gray, and Earl Jay Gray. Her siblings, Claude and Roy preceded her in death.
The parents of Pearl's father, Oscar Gray, were:
George Gray (Memorial # 9766425) and
Lydia Jane Macy Gray (Memorial # 7966427).
The parents of her mother, Bertha Jane Hayes Gray, were:
Calvin Campbell Wesley Hayes (Memorial # 177953026) and
Calista L. Ripley Hayes (Memorial # 100354513).
Bertha Jane's mother Calista died when she was about four years old, and she was raised by her stepmother, Eliza M (Lisle) Adams (Memorial # 177953132).
The parents of Calvin Campbell Wesley Hayes were
Hiram Wesley Hayes (Memorial #10851450) and
Almeda Tinkham (Memorial # 100354510).
Submitted by Jean Dyer (Contributor # 49660761), Added August/September 2018
Minnie Pearl Gray Fox (known as Pearl), was born October 26, 1883 in Adel, Iowa to Oscar Leonidas Gray and Bertha Jane Hayes. She died in Minburn (also in Dallas County) Iowa on 12 June 1969. She graduated from Adel High School in 1902. She taught in rural schools from 1902-1909 before her marriage, continuing her education through Iowa State Teachers' College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. At that time, yearly tests were required in a variety of subjects to maintain certification.
She married Benjamin Fox on 16 March 1910 in Dallas Center, Iowa, and then started farming in Sugar Grove Township, east of Minburn, in Dallas County, Iowa. They had two children, Carolyn Esther and Robert Laverne. She was widowed early, losing her husband, Benjamin, to cancer in 1922 after 12 years of marriage. She raised her children on the farm and continued to farm the land, but eventually moved to the town of Minburn when her son Robert took responsibility for farming. Although most of her family including her parents had moved to California, she remained in Iowa with her children.
She had an abiding faith and was a member of the Minburn Methodist Church. As mentioned by a friend at her funeral, he said the following:
---"She had her lighter side. With today in mind, perhaps, she had copied this verse in her bible:
'Every time I pass a church, I stop in for a little visit, So that, when I'm carried in, The Lord won't say: 'Who is it?'.'
She was known as "Grandma Fox" to the neighborhood children. She kept in touch with youth in the community and encouraged their education as the librarian in Minburn for 20 years. This was totally a voluntary effort. In 1963 when she retired, she was recognized by the community for her service, and was interviewed by a broadcaster from a major radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. She also held highly popular Halloween parties at her house for the town's children.
She enjoyed nature, by feeding birds and through gardening --- growing beautiful roses, iris, gladiolas, and bleeding heart.
She was survived by one son, Robert Fox of Minburn and one daughter Mrs. Esther Royer, Dallas Center, five grandchildren, Ben and Bob Fox of Minburn, Carol Fox Beaman, Jean Royer Dyer, Lawrence Royer, and several great grandchildren.
Pearl had one sister, Ida Belle Gray Batten and three brothers, Walter Leroy Gray (aka Roy), Lovell Claude (aka Claude L) Gray, and Earl Jay Gray. Her siblings, Claude and Roy preceded her in death.
The parents of Pearl's father, Oscar Gray, were:
George Gray (Memorial # 9766425) and
Lydia Jane Macy Gray (Memorial # 7966427).
The parents of her mother, Bertha Jane Hayes Gray, were:
Calvin Campbell Wesley Hayes (Memorial # 177953026) and
Calista L. Ripley Hayes (Memorial # 100354513).
Bertha Jane's mother Calista died when she was about four years old, and she was raised by her stepmother, Eliza M (Lisle) Adams (Memorial # 177953132).
The parents of Calvin Campbell Wesley Hayes were
Hiram Wesley Hayes (Memorial #10851450) and
Almeda Tinkham (Memorial # 100354510).
Submitted by Jean Dyer (Contributor # 49660761), Added August/September 2018
She married Benjamin Fox on 16 March 1910 in Dallas Center, Iowa, and then started farming in Sugar Grove Township, east of Minburn, in Dallas County, Iowa. They had two children, Carolyn Esther and Robert Laverne. She was widowed early, losing her husband, Benjamin, to cancer in 1922 after 12 years of marriage. She raised her children on the farm and continued to farm the land, but eventually moved to the town of Minburn when her son Robert took responsibility for farming. Although most of her family including her parents had moved to California, she remained in Iowa with her children.
She had an abiding faith and was a member of the Minburn Methodist Church. As mentioned by a friend at her funeral, he said the following:
---"She had her lighter side. With today in mind, perhaps, she had copied this verse in her bible:
'Every time I pass a church, I stop in for a little visit, So that, when I'm carried in, The Lord won't say: 'Who is it?'.'
She was known as "Grandma Fox" to the neighborhood children. She kept in touch with youth in the community and encouraged their education as the librarian in Minburn for 20 years. This was totally a voluntary effort. In 1963 when she retired, she was recognized by the community for her service, and was interviewed by a broadcaster from a major radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. She also held highly popular Halloween parties at her house for the town's children.
She enjoyed nature, by feeding birds and through gardening --- growing beautiful roses, iris, gladiolas, and bleeding heart.
She was survived by one son, Robert Fox of Minburn and one daughter Mrs. Esther Royer, Dallas Center, five grandchildren, Ben and Bob Fox of Minburn, Carol Fox Beaman, Jean Royer Dyer, Lawrence Royer, and several great grandchildren.
Pearl had one sister, Ida Belle Gray Batten and three brothers, Walter Leroy Gray (aka Roy), Lovell Claude (aka Claude L) Gray, and Earl Jay Gray. Her siblings, Claude and Roy preceded her in death.
The parents of Pearl's father, Oscar Gray, were:
George Gray (Memorial # 9766425) and
Lydia Jane Macy Gray (Memorial # 7966427).
The parents of her mother, Bertha Jane Hayes Gray, were:
Calvin Campbell Wesley Hayes (Memorial # 177953026) and
Calista L. Ripley Hayes (Memorial # 100354513).
Bertha Jane's mother Calista died when she was about four years old, and she was raised by her stepmother, Eliza M (Lisle) Adams (Memorial # 177953132).
The parents of Calvin Campbell Wesley Hayes were
Hiram Wesley Hayes (Memorial #10851450) and
Almeda Tinkham (Memorial # 100354510).
Submitted by Jean Dyer (Contributor # 49660761), Added August/September 2018
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