Evelyn Gertrude WRAY

Female 1913 - 1997  (84 years)


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  • Name Evelyn Gertrude WRAY 
    Birth 15 May 1913  Mount Airy, Surry County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Cause of Death Heart Attack 
    Reference Number 13 
    Death 5 Nov 1997  Camden, Kershaw County, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial 8 Nov 1997  Camden, Kershaw County, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I8  Marshall and Allied Families
    Last Modified 19 Jul 2018 

    Father Clyde Mack WRAY,   b. 29 Sep 1892, Blacksburg, York County, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Aug 1974, Mount Airy, Surry County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 81 years) 
    Relationship Birth 
    Mother Parry Esther JOYCE,   b. 7 Oct 1896, Surry County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Feb 1987, Mount Airy, Surry County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 90 years) 
    Relationship Birth 
    Marriage 1 Jul 1911  Mount Airy, Surry County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F131  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Samuel Wesley MARSHALL, Sr.,   b. 11 Mar 1903, White Plains, Surry County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 15 Feb 1991, Ridgeway, Fairfield County, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years) 
    Marriage 15 Nov 1931  Hillsville, Carroll County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. Samuel Wesley MARSHALL, Jr.
    +2. Donald Wray MARSHALL,   b. 11 May 1936, Mount Airy, Surry County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 3/18/2024, Lake Worth, Palm Beach County, Florida Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 87 years)  [Birth]
    +3. Evelyn Deanna MARSHALL
    +4. David William MARSHALL, Sr.
    +5. John Randolph MARSHALL
    Family ID F3  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 19 Jul 2018 

  • Photos
    Wray, Evelyn (Marshall)
    Wray, Evelyn (Marshall)
    As a young woman.
    Wray, Evelyn & Pauline
    Back - left to right - Evelyn Wray (Marshall), Pauline Wray (Crabtree), Doris Midkiff

    Front - Alpha Lee "Pinto" Damico, Sam Marshall, Jr.


    Picture taken about 1935
    Marshall, Sam & Evelyn & Family

    Front Left - Stuart Marshall - Killed in an automobile accident on February 14, 1975 behind Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. He was 18 years old.

    Front Right - Natalie Marshall, Stuart's sister, Donald and Sue's children.

    Behind them - John Marshall, Vickie Sue Lewis Marshall, Donald Marshall. Sue died of a stroke on December 12, 1982. She and Stuart are buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Sumter, South Carolina.

    Behind them - Ruth (Hyder) Marshall and Evelyn (Wray) and Sam Marshall, Sr., and Deanna (Marshall) Soles

    Back Row - Sam Marshall, Jr., David Marshall, Sr. (Me), and Jason Soles (Behind Deanna).


    This picture was taken in 1961 in our grandparents (Clyde & Parry Wray) front yard on pine Street in Mt. Airy, North Carolina. It was our grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary.
    Wray, Evelyn (Marshall)
    This is my mother holding my oldest brother, Sam, Jr. (David W. Marshall, Sr.)
    Wray, Clyde Mack - Family
    Wray, Clyde Mack - Family
    Left to right standing; Clyde Wray, Sr. holding Clyde Wray, Jr.; Clyde's wife Parry Joyce Wray; their daughter and my mother Evelyn Wray Marshall; her husband and my father, Samuel Wesley Marshall, Sr.; kneeling, Pauline; and Graham Wray.

    Sam and Evelyn Marshall
    Sam and Evelyn Marshall

  • Notes 
    • !Marshall 0018; Marshall 0041 - Delayed Birth Certificate
      !She died in the Kearsh Wind nursing home which is part of the Kershaw county Memorial Hospital. Mother had had a masive heart attack seven years earlier in 1990 and was in the nursing home at the time of her death. She had her early morning (2:00 AM) snack in the nursing home and seemed fine. A few minutes after 3:00 AM she called the nursing station and said "I think I'm dying." They called the doctor from the emergency room and by the time he reached her room she was slipping away. She did not suffer, she just went to sleep. She is buried with her husband, Sam, in the Quaker Cemetery, Camden, SC (David W. Marshall, Sr. May 15, 1997.)

      Find-A-Grave Memorial #114311407
    • Unnumbered Documents - Marshall, Evelyn - Reflections

      The full text of her reflections is shown below. Her daughter, Deanna, worked with her to get this information while she was in the nursing home. She was completely lucid and her mind was clear, so the information below should be accurate.
      __________________________________

      Mother tired easily and grew weary of my questions at times. I had to wait until she was in the right frame of mind and felt well enough to deal with these questions that often brought back a flood of memories to her. Therefore, the interviews extended over a long period of time. I tried to use her words insofar as I could, so I put her responses in quotation marks. I was not able to cover all the questions, but covered most of them. In any event, there may be some surprises for all of you. I know there were for me. (Deanna Brewer)

      1. Your Grandparents

      a. Where are they from?

      Maternal Grandparents: "I don't know. Mother's mother was an old Ironside
      Baptist preacher."
      Paternal Grandparents: "South Carolina. Originally from Holland and
      Ireland. Dad's mother was Dutch and had the blackest
      eyes you ever saw."

      b. Did your grandparents ever tell you stories about when they were little?

      "No."

      c. Are you like any of your grandparents in any way?

      "Don't know, except I like to have fun like Daddy's daddy. I would ride on his
      shoulders through the park every day after work. We lived in front of the park in
      Richmond, Virginia. I waited on the curb everyday for him and Uncle Russell. I
      loved them. This was when I was between six and nine years old."

      d. Do you have a favorite grandparent memory?

      "I liked to get on the train and go to the beach (Buckroe Beach) twice a year.

      Granddad was a good cook. He cooked in the army in the Spanish-American war.
      He could cook anything. Grandmother was a good cook, too. She cooked on a gas
      stove and sometimes sold what she cooked--meats, vegetables and bread--everything.
      Just a sideline. Granddad worked in the paper mill. They had nine children. When
      she had the last one she said, She took care of the rest and he could take care of that
      one.' Every time he came home, she got pregnant."

      2. Your Parents

      a. Do you know any stories about when they were young?

      "No."

      b. Do you know how they met each other?

      "They grew up together. They went with friends who were getting married and Dad
      said to Mom, Why don't we get married?' And they did. She was fourteen and he
      was eighteen."

      c. How many wedding anniversaries did they celebrate together?

      "Over 50."

      d. Can you tell me something special you remember about each of your parents?

      "Mother was very loving and tried hard to raise her children.

      Daddy loved music and loved to sing. Runs in the family."

      e. Who do you resemble most?

      "Physically--look like Mother."

      3. When you were young.

      a. What were you like then?

      "A tomboy. I drove my mother crazy. Loved school. Sang in the church choir. Very
      active in church--Baptist Church."

      b. What is your earliest memory?

      "Just before we got on the train to go to Richmond from Mt. Airy. I had a brand new
      pair a black patent leather shoes. I thought they were the prettiest thing I had every
      seen. I was four or five years old."

      c. Did you have a favorite toy?

      "I had a doll baby I loved for years and when I was a teenager the house caught on
      fire and it burned. I cried for days. We almost lost everything, but my mother carried
      water and had the fire just about put out before the fire department got there."

      d. Do you remember an outfit you really loved?

      "After I went to work, all the girls had navy blue suits with red cherries and I just had
      to have one, but somebody stole my money out of my locker and I never got it."

      e. What was the very best present you received?

      "My grandchildren.

      Materially, a gold locket and chain from Mother and Dad in my early teens."

      f. What was the most memorable gift you ever gave?

      "My children to Sam."

      g. Do you remember when you got your first skates or bicycle? How did you learn to
      get around on your new "wheels"?

      "First skates--I remember them very well. I wanted them so bad. I skated all over
      the place. I skated down a hill and one of the wheels came off and I fell in a
      neighbor's yard and hurt my arm. But I never told my mother because I knew she
      would not let me skate anymore. We had a lot of fun. There was a special street they
      marked off where everyone skated. I lived in front of a big park that had a big
      swimming pool. They drained it three times a day and filled it and we would all go
      hop in.

      I learned to skate by falling-and-getting-up-and-falling-again method."

      h. Tell us about the other children in your family and how you got along with them.

      "My younger brother, Graham, was born sick; he had bad kidney trouble but he got
      along all right. We played together. He was always sick.

      I had a younger sister, Vernell, who died when she was two years old. I cried my
      heart out when she died. She had a bad cold that went into pneumonia.

      My sister, Pauline, was always fine and healthy. I put her and Vernell in the carriage
      at the same time and pushed them around. I married when she was still real young.
      Graham was still a teenager.

      My youngest brother, Clyde, Jr., was only two when I got married."

      i. What did your family like to do together?

      "Eat. Young ones liked to swim together. Dad took us to James River and we would
      swim. Our neighbor had a boat and we would ride it in James River. We went to the
      Baptist Church together. Not much to do, to tell you the truth."

      j. Do you remember a favorite family recipe?

      "Mamma's baked chicken and dressing. It was gooood, now you hear me!"

      k. Did you ever get into trouble for doing something you weren't supposed to do? What
      was it? How old were you?

      "All the time. I would go upstairs, climb out the window, go to the roof and jump
      down to the ground. I was six to twelve years old. I got spanked once a day,
      everyday. It was so much fun...

      I was not supposed to sneak out and go swimming when Mamma was asleep, but I
      did. What was worse, I took my little brother with me. I was six to twelve. I was
      always getting in trouble."

      l. What was one of your greatest adventures when you were small?

      "I used to go over to a big park in Richmond--can't remember the name--that had a
      great big swimming pool. Not the one across from the house--another one. I played
      baseball, jack rocks and anything else we could find to do. Then go swim and go
      home."

      m. What was one of the funniest things that ever happened to you when you were
      young?

      "Can't remember."

      n. What were your dreams for the future when you were a teenager?

      "Dreamed of finishing Spanish and going to Spain."

      o. Did you have a "crush" on anyone in high school? What did you think about that
      person?

      "No. I had a friend but didn't have a crush on him. His name was Thurmond Creel.
      I went to the library and got books for him. He was good looking. I corresponded
      with him when we moved to Mt. Airy, but my mother made me stop because she
      thought I was getting serious--and she may have been right. He was an avid reader.
      I have often wondered what happened to him."

      p. Who were your best friends when you were growing up? What did you do together?

      "Doris Sharpe and Ellen Nunnally. Played jack rocks, hide and seek, chased little
      boys around, made fudge candy and sold it to men in Chevrolet place right down the
      street, went swimming in little swimming pool across the street, went to Swan Lake
      to go swimming, played on top of buildings--one place we lived (in) had very little
      yard--, climbed out of Grandmother's apartment and climbed out the window and
      walked across roof tops of stores until we got to a real big top and played there."

      q. Did you have a part-time job?

      "Made candy and sold it to Chevrolet place right down the street and bought mother
      her first electric iron -- and I was so proud of it!"

      r. Where did you spend holidays and vacations?

      "In the front yard and back yard at home and across the street in the park and
      swimming pool."

      s. What kinds of entertainment did you enjoy?

      "Dancing, playing baseball -- any position -- football and singing."

      t. How old were you when you learned to drive a car?

      "Fourteen years old."

      u. What kind of car was it?

      "Plymouth - a taxi cab."

      v. Who taught you?

      "My boy friend -- Arthur York."

      w. What was the first car you owned?

      "Plymouth, I guess. My husband's brother who was in the car business gave us one --
      Uncle Penn."

      x. Do you remember how much it cost?

      "No. It was free."

      y. What were some "fads" you can remember during your teen years?

      "Marcel waves with a hot iron. Burn you hair up every week."

      z. Where did you move to when you left your family's home? How old were you?

      "When I was married I moved into my husband's family home in Mt. Airy, North
      Carolina, on Pine Street right next door to the post office--the Marshall Home. I was
      18 years old."

      aa. Where was your first full-time job?

      "The telephone company. I did not weigh enough so my mother sewed weights
      (lead) into my clothes so I could weigh up."

      ab. What did you do?

      "I was an operator in Richmond, Virginia."

      ac. Where else did you work?

      "When we moved to Mt. Airy, North Carolina, I worked at J. C. Penny Co. for Mr.
      and Mrs. Hill. I also worked for the telephone company and in a dime store."

      4. School Life

      a. Where did you go to school?

      "First through fourth grade in Richmond, Virginia;
      Fifth through sixth grad in Powhatan School;
      Seventh through tenth grades in Richmond."

      b. Did you like school?

      "I loved school. I cried and cried when I had to quit."

      c. What was your favorite subject?

      "Spanish, music and drama."

      d. What school activity did you enjoy?

      "Physical education"

      5. Your Married Life

      a. How did you meet?

      "My future husband saw me on the street corner--I was told he admired my legs. He
      told me later he said to a friend with him, "That woman has the prettiest legs I ever
      saw," and told his fried he wanted an introduction, but I knew he was dating my best
      friend at that time and I refused an introduction. A year later when my friend moved,
      I told Sam's friend I was ready to meet him and we were introduced."

      b. How old were you?

      "18 years old."

      c. What were you doing at the time?

      "Working in the telephone office."

      d. When did you first know you wanted to marry?

      "I don't remember."

      e. Were you engaged? How long?

      "Yes, just a short while."

      f. What was your wedding like? Did you go someplace special on a honeymoon?

      "We eloped -- were married in Hillsville, Virginia, by a Methodist preacher. I don't
      think he was a very religious preacher because after the ceremony he remarked,
      "Well, she is all yours. You can kiss her and not look to see if anyone is watching."
      Our friends, Ellis and Lib Sanders went with us. We spent our honeymoon in a motel
      in Hillsville."

      g. What surprised you most about your new spouse after you were married?

      "Nothing."

      h. Where was your fist home after you married?

      "In my husband's mamas's house."

      i. What were your first years together like?

      "Nice. He liked to travel and I went with him."

      j. How many children did you want?

      "Twelve."

      k. What did you think the day each of your children were born?

      "Sam, Jr. -- There was just nothing else like him! No one could take him away from
      us--but it wasn't long before anybody could have him, he cried so much.

      Donald -- Slept all the time -- slept so much it worried us.

      Deanna -- Sweetest little girl in the whole world.

      David -- Precious.

      Johnny -- World's best. But I didn't know how I was going to take care of him I had
      so many children."

      l. How did you choose your children's names?

      Sam, Jr. - after his father

      Donald Wray - after the doctor who delivered him and my maiden name (Wray).

      Evelyn Deanna - I had just gone to one of Deanna Durben's movies right before
      Deanna was born, and said I would name my little girl Deanna because I wanted a
      little girl who could sing like Deanna Durben. Her father insisted I name her after
      me, so Evelyn is her first name.

      David William - just liked the name. (According to my brother, Sam, he gave me that name. He had a Jewish friend named David that he liked and mother agreed. - David W. Marshall - 10/2/2013)

      John Randolph - after John Randolph Marshall, first chief justice of the Supreme
      Court." (At that time the family claimed we were direct descendants - which may or
      may not be true.) (Not true. See my website at Marshallgenealogy.org - David W. Marshall; son of evelyn.)

      m. Did any of your children remind you of anyone else in your family?

      "Deanna - Aunt Mamie - teacher look."

      n. What were your children like when they were young?

      "Little hellions.

      Sam - a monkey - climbed trees, swung on branches.

      Donald - slept all the time.

      Deanna - sweetest little girl in whole world - but we were always losing her.

      David - smart, serious.

      Johnny - different - walked to a different drummer."

      o. What were some of the mischievous things your children did?

      "Sam jumped out of the barn when the hay was moved.

      Sam came up to the shed and said, "Mamma, Daddy wants some "pertiznizer."

      Donald - slipped around and smoked - got sick and had to call doctor - he was sick
      on cigarettes so the doctor pulled a pack out of his pocket and said, "Here, Donald,
      have one."

      Deanna - always serious - never did anything bad - semi-bad.

      David - never did anything bad.

      Johnny - Stuff on stick."

      p. What things about your children that made you especially proud?

      "That they were mine."

      q. What things did you all like to do together as a family?

      "Eat, go on picnics, go up on the mountain, go in car for rides at night."

      r. What made your family special?

      "They were my family -- what more do you need."

      s. As teenagers what did your children do that worried you the most?

      "Sam, Jr., - got drunk.

      Donald - wrecked brand new Chrysler

      Deanna - perfect child

      David - never worried

      Johnny - Oh, Lord! Don't ask me! I tell you one thing. He made life interesting."

      6. Important Places

      a. What countries did your families originally come from?

      "Ireland - Grand daddy Wray's family.
      France and Holland - Grandmother Wray's family."

      b. Do you know why and when they moved here?

      "Don't know."

      c. Did they bring any traditions with them?

      "Don't know."

      d. Where and when were you born?

      "Mt. Airy, North Carolina, May 15, 1913."

      e. Where did you live when you were growing up?

      "Richmond, Virginia"

      f. Tell me about the family home you remember most.

      "Mother was such a good cook."

      g. What was your room like? Did you share it?

      "Little room under the eaves of the house.
      Yes, with brother, Graham."

      h. Did you have a special place you liked to go when you were a child?

      "To Granny Wray's. She always had something good cooked up -- right across from
      grammar school."

      i. Was there any place that was scary?

      "No."

      j. Where was your first home after you married. What was it like?

      "We lived in the house with my in-laws. There were thirteen room on three stories.
      It was called the Marshall House and was right next door from the post office. I
      remember that we used to get mad because there were lots of scraps of papers from
      the post office. We called the postmaster and the mayor and they put up an extremely
      small trash can."

      k. Did you raise your family there?

      "No."

      l. Tell me about the places you visited?

      Williamsburg, Virginia, Old Soldiers Home in Virginia -- gave one a banana and he
      stuck the whole thing in his mouth -- peeling and all. Also liked to go to Buchoe
      Beach, Virginia."

      m. If you could go some place you haven't been, where would it be and why?

      "Canada and Alaska -- always wanted to go--all my life."

      n. Where is your favorite place of all and why?

      "Old Town, North Carolina--where the first Presbyterian Church was built."


      7. Miscellaneous

      a. What was going on in the world when you were born?

      "World War I. My father was getting ready to go and then it was all over."

      b. When you were a child or teenager what world events were taking place?

      "The World's Fair."

      c. Was there a time you remember being especially fun or significant?

      "My little sister died from complication of diseases. She was so pretty. I took care
      of her."

      d. What were the major news stories when you were starting a family of your own?

      "The depression, the Lindberg kidnaping, WW II."

      e. What political figure do you remember most and why?

      "Franklin D. Roosevelt, because he was president and his wife was prominent.
      President Hoover was raised by my husband's aunts."

      f. Can you remember a time or event that changed your life:

      "Going to Richmond, Virginia, when I was four years old. I had my first pair of
      black patten leather shoes. I was going to Richmond, Virginia on the train."

      g. How has life changed since your grandparents time?

      "There were street cars run by electricity. People had horse and buggies in some
      places. We stayed at home and cooked. There were street bazaars and Grandmother
      did the most fabulous cooking you ever saw, and people bragged on it. She was
      Dutch."

      h. What do you hope the future will bring for your grandchildren; great grandchildren?

      "A peaceful world free from war and fighting."


      i. What was your all-time favorite book?

      "Little Miss Penrod -- all Booth Tarkington's books."