Personal Record of Dorothy Ray written by her mother, Esther Skousen Ray on 29 May 1955


My daughter started her schooling in the Lincoln school. And now I think of it nearly all the children had some of the same teachers. I forget their names but there was a Miss Auston that ran through my family. Bro. Greer had them all in the Franklin School. Mrs. Noble, I believe was one and I think Dorothy’s real pal as a teacher was Martha someone, I can’t recall her name but she married and became Mrs. Libbhart. They were very close and real friends.



Dorothy tripped through school and then into High School. She too had to go without the things her heart wanted - like pretty clothes etc., but she never complained. She wore the one or two dresses she had and was happy in her friends. She went to High School her freshman year and then stayed out one year and jot a job. She had passed her school girl friends a year so she worked a year so the girls and Dorothy finished High School together. She and James graduated the same night. Two very lovely graduates. She was so happy. She was Salutatorian of her class. She and Helen Henry tied for Valedictorian but I forget just how it came about but Helen got the place. I wanted my daughter to have it but she was happy about it so I guess it must have been alright.



Then she wanted to go to Flagstaff to college. Oh how I hated to have her go up there so far from me but she preferred that school to Tempe. So we all talked it over and James was out of school so we thought we could let her have her hearts desire for once. She helped herself as much as she could. She worked all summer here before school started that fall. And got together her clothes. Then she worked her way through school her first year. The boys and I went up to see her. Camilla and I went up at one time, Clinton, Camilla and I went up to see her. She was so sweet and so happy, so bright and so smart up there among so many well to do students that I was really proud of her and yet a little afraid for her. I was afraid she would fall in love with a man not of her faith, but I did trust her judgment.



So the first college year went and then came the planning for the next years school. She was so tired of doing house work as she had done all through her high school for other people so she might have a little more than I was able to get her. She went to take a job she thought she would like in Blythe, CA as a waitress in a eating place there. My heart nearly stopped beating to let her go but I talked to myself and said, “Mama you can’t send her through school”, so I knew that was true. So again, I trusted her and let her go take the job for the summer months so she could go back to Flagstaff to school again.



She went and worked all summer and enjoyed it very much and came back and started school again until Dec. then quit school and got married. Again my heart rolled over as she had chosen as her husband a man not of our faith.. But oh such a fine good man that I fell in love with him too, but did not want my daughter to marry out of the Church. They were married and although he has never joined as yet, my prayers go up to God always for him and some day he will. He loves my sweet daughter and knows she will go to someone else if he doesn’t.