Enola Gray
Enola Lee Howard was born to William Albert Howard and Catharine Alice (Childress) Howard, on March 28, 1887, in Memphis, Scotland County, Missouri. Enola was the eldest of three children: her brother William was born in Missouri in 1891, and her sister Minnie was born in February, 1895 in Montana. Enola spent much of her childhood near Harlem, Chouteau County, Montana. Enola’s son, Bert Gray, recalls her saying that she liked to climb the butte near their homestead.
Enola met William Leonard Gray in Montana, and they married on September 28, 1902. They soon decided to immigrate to Canada, and started their journey on October 11, 1902. After immigrating to Canada, the Grays still celebrated the 4th of July well into the 1900’s.
Enola and Leonard welcomed 14 children into their lives, 8 girls and 6 boys, from 1903 until 1929: Phoebe, Enola, Pearl, Robert, Minnie Adelaide, Howard, Bertha, Ethel, William, Thomas, Joy, Nellie, David, and Donald.
Enola's days involved taking care of the farm as well as feeding her large family. The Grays would alternate hosting Sunday dinners with their neighbours, the Goins. Enola’s sister Minnie and her husband, Fred Higginson, were also frequent visitors, with the visits going both ways.
Enola was a very busy farm wife, and because of this she had little time for community organizations, except for the Methodist Church (later the United Church). She also later joined the Women’s Institute in the 1950s.
On March 15, 1950, Enola lost Leonard. Her son, Jim, took over the family farm. Enola moved into a small, three-bedroom home in town, and lived there alone until her passing on August 24, 1963.
EG006 - Enola with her grandchildren, 1954