Virginia "Ginny" Allred

Virginia 'Ginny' Allred March 9, 1924 - June 8, 2012 Virginia "Ginny" Shepherd Allred, formerly of Hot Springs, passed away at her residence in Elk Grove, Calif., on Friday, June 8, 2012. She was 88 years old. Ginny was born March 9, 1924, in Latah, Wash., and although eastern Washington was her family home, Ginny and her husband Richard lived in many places throughout the U.S., including Missouri, Georgia, Texas, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin, garnering new friends in each location. They retired in Walla Walla, Wash., and lived there 33 years before she moved to Elk Grove in 2010 to be nearer to family. Ginny was able to combine her passion for journalism with her vocation as a feature and human interest writer for newspapers in Texas and South Dakota, later volunteering her skills to serve several terms as National Publications Editor for the Women Marines Association and for six years as the Publicity Director for the Miss South Dakota Pageant. While in Hot Springs, in addition to working on the Pageant, she was a reporter for the Star from 1966 to 1974. She was also the paper's news, publicity coordinator and photographer for the local schools and hosted the weekly School News and Views radio program. Ginny received numerous state and national awards for her published human interest stories. Her other great passion was the Women Marines Association, enlisting and attaining the rank of Sergeant in the Marine Corps during WWII. After stints as WMA Area Director and National Vice-President, she served two terms as its National President and was named its National Service Award winner twice. Ginny was the author of the How To Manual for WMA Chapters and served for 8 years as the editor of its quarterly publication, 'Nouncements. Her duty station during her service was in San Francisco, which remained her favorite city throughout her life. Her other many interests included: movies and movie stars, being a lifelong member of the Christian faith and the Central Christian Church in Walla Walla, where she had served as co-moderator of the board, she was an avid sports fan, belonged to NARFE, PTA, was a bible school director and enjoyed travel. She retired as secretary to the Office of Counsel, Army Corps of Engineers in Walla Walla in 1987. Ginny is survived by her two sons, Rick in Cypress, Texas and Ken in Elk Grove, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by sisters Dolores Shepherd, Mary Lee Rehill and Geri Lederer, her husband Richard and grandsons Ross and Matthew. She will be interred beside her husband at Tehoma National Cemetery in Kent, Wash. A memorial service at the cemetery is anticipated to be held later this summer. Contributions in Ginny's name may be made to either the WMA's Women of the Corps History Project (www.womenmarines.org/donate, 888/525-1943) or to the Elk Grove Regional Veterans Memorial (www.cosumneslegacyfoundation.org, 916/919-0645).