Rose F. Ray (Jrolf) was born on July 20, 1918 in Racine, Wisconsin. Her family eventually moved to the Milwaukee area sometime before World War II. In 1943, Rose enlisted with the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (under the last name Grolf) and was sent for training in Daytona Beach, Florida. She was trained in food preparation and served as an acting mess sergeant during her training.
After completing basic training, Rose was sent to Alliance Army Airfield (Nebraska) to work in the kitchen. After being stationed at Alliance for about three months, Rose was transferred to Sedalia Army Air Field (Missouri) to serve as mess sergeant. The kitchen staff at Sedalia had been feuding and Rose was transferred to try and bring order. Rose organized a reward program with her staff in order to keep the peace after a fight broke out during her first night there. The tactic worked and the kitchen staff would hold special dinners and gatherings as their reward for working together.
While Rose was stationed at Sedalia, she met her future husband, Fred Ray. They married on February 2, 1945, while still serving in the military. The couple moved to Milwaukee after being discharged. Rose became active in veterans organizations and joined the Women's Army Corps Veterans Association. The couple had one daughter, Virginia. Rose moved to Janesville, Wisconsin after Fred passed away in 1999.
Fred Ray was born on October 4, 1918 in Covington, Virginia. He enlisted with the Army in 1939 and was placed in the Quartermasters Corps. He was stationed at Albrook Army Airfield in the Panama Canal Zone soon after his enlistment and remained there for most of World War II. Fred was transferred back to the United States in 1944 and stationed at Sedalia Army Air Field as the tech sergeant in charge of food supplies. While stationed there, he met Rose Jrolf. They married in 1945 and were both discharged later that year. The couple settled in Milwaukee where Fred worked for both the railroad and Allis Chalmers.
