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City Clinic, graduated in 1966. It was while the children were at home that Gail found time for communityservice."I was involved in the parent-teacher association and I went to all their activities," she said.Her service includes four years on the Arkansas City School Board ata time when Frances Willard,Adams, and Pershing elementary schools were built. She also became an experienced fund raiser, volunteeringfor The American Red Cross and The Salvation Army when fund-raising was conducted the old-fashionedway: Door-to-door. She also served as co-chairman of The United Way one year.She served on the Planning Commission two years and also was on the County Health Board."Anything I got into I got to be president of," she said with a laugh. "I guess you might say I was a patsy.If someone needed cookies, I'd bake them. It was tough to say no."After David went off to college in"I decided I'd rather count pills than take them," she said.1966, Gail went back to work and spent 10 years at Graves Drugstore.Throughout her life, Gail has been very active at the First Presbyterian Church, where she's held numerouspositions that have influenced the lives of young and old. She has served as an elder and president ofthe Presbyterian Women.Her involvement in civic organizations isthe group's firstsecond to none. She organized the PEO Chapter GH and waspresident; she has served on The Salvation Army Advisory Board; was a member of theOrder of Eastern Star; and was chairman of the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Committee for seven years.Her service to the community and commitment to her children were just two reasons she was nominatedfor Kansas Mother of the Year in1983, a year after Kenneth died. She was first runner-up.If ever there was a family woven into the fabric of a community, it's the Gail and Kenneth Ross family.Their philosophy was simple."The children were going to go to college because we told them they were," Gail said. "They didn't knowany different. And we went to church with them every Sunday. They all have a deep, basic faith, and thegrandchildren do, too. We're a close family."Gail was an avid golfer years ago who shot in "the high 40s or low 50s" for nine holes. Today she marvelsat granddaughter Allison, a junior at ACHS."She hit a drive 285 yards" the other day, Gail said proudly.So how does Gail want to be remembered?"As somebody who tried to do what is right, and tried to be good to people," she said. "I don't want a bigfuss made over me."Claude St. John, the superintendent of the high school when I was there, told me I was self-effacing. Ialways wondered what that meant."Not drawing attention to oneself; humble; modest. St. John was right. That's definitely Gail Ross.m