Virginia GEMBERLING

1922 - 2017

GEMBERLING, Virginia Lee "Ginny" VIRGINIA LEE (GINNY) GEMBERLING, resident of Dallas since 1956, passed away quietly on December 1, 2017 at the age of 95. She was born January 15, 1922 in Springfield, Illinois, the only child of William Carl Best and Jean Benscoter Best, both of whom preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Robert Perry Gemberling. She is survived by their only daughter, Dr. Gail Gemberling of Austin, Texas. As a child, Ginny resided in Decatur, Peoria and Springfield, Illinois, graduating from Springfield High School in 1940. She attended Springfield Junior College and was employed at Franklin Life Insurance Company prior to her employment at the Illinois Department of Education and the Illinois State Treasurer's Office in Springfield. In 1948, she married Robert Perry Gemberling whom she met on a reluctant blind date. The couple moved to Chicago where Ginny worked for Aetna Insurance Company until her husband was appointed a Special Agent of the FBI. The couple then moved to Washington, D. C. while he attended the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia in 1950. Following his training, the couple resided in Detroit where Ginny worked for the Detroit Insurance Agency. They later moved to Indiana where they resided until 1954 when they moved to Honolulu, Hawaii where she gave birth to their only child, Gail Ann Gemberling. While in Hawaii, Ginny pursued her love of dance and became an accomplished hula dancer. In 1956, the couple was transferred to the Dallas FBI Office where Mr. Gemberling later became the lead investigator in the Kennedy Assassination case. Ginny had a love of the arts and was quite an accomplished artist although she never pursued it commercially. She encouraged exposure to the arts at home, and the family often attended Dallas Summer Musicals and notable art exhibits in the Dallas area. Ginny loved Big Band Music of the 1940's and as a part of her daily routine could often be heard singing familiar tunes of the day. The couple was avid Dallas Cowboy fans dating back to the days when they played in the Cotton Bowl. As a proud and devoted mother, Ginny was an active member of the PTA, Delta Delta Delta Mother's Club, and was a Girl Scout Leader. In addition, she was a long-time member of the Dallas Ex-FBI Agents' Wives Association. After her husband's retirement, the couple was active in the Dallas Society of Ex-FBI Agents where they travelled throughout the country keeping in touch with those they had met along the way. A few years after her husband's death, Ginny sold the house they had resided in since coming to Dallas in 1956 and moved to The Forum at Park Lane in Dallas where she resided until her death. A very personal visitation will be held to celebrate Ginny's life at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 West Northwest Highway in Dallas, Texas on Monday, December 11, 2017 from 10 AM to 1 PM. A graveside service will be held at Bethel Cemetery in Emden, Illinois where Ginny will be buried alongside her beloved husband. Memorials may be made to the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI Foundation, P. O. Box 1027, Quantico, Virgina, 22134.