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BORN
1942
DIED
2016
Virginia Shirley Obituary
May 31, 1942 - Dec. 7, 2016
Willow Glen
Virginia "Ginger" R. Shirley, age 74, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 7th at her home in Willow Glen, California.
Ginger was born May 31, 1942 in Philadelphia, PA, to Joseph Robert and Helen Marie (McGraw) Rafter. Ginger spent her formative years in Pensacola, Florida. She is a graduate of Pensacola Catholic High and West Florida University. Ginger began selling real estate in the Santa Clara Valley in 1972 and flourished as a successful broker until her retirement from the Sereno Group at the end of 2015. She was also an active and generous member of her local community. She donated to many causes and was very proud of her work with CASA as a child advocate. Ginger loved to read, play bridge and could puzzle with the best of them. Most of all, Ginger valued her time with family and friends. Whether peacefully relaxing at her condo in Maui during the holidays, sharing a meal with close friends after a long day at work or visiting with her grand children, Kyle, Quinn and Samantha, Ginger reveled in the company of others. She touched all of our lives with her loving, generous spirit and will be truly missed by all that knew her.
Ginger will join her son Bobby Ben, her mother Helen and her father Robert in Heaven.
Ginger's beautiful life will forever be cherished by her son Derrik and his family, Kelsey Porter and their daughter Sam of Menlo Park, her son Stephen and his wife Lisa and their two children, Kyle and Quinn of San Mateo, and her daughter Stacy of Maui. Ginger's everlasting memory will remain with her sisters, Barbara Aldrich of Baton Rouge, La and Dianne Zimmer of Kenner, La.
A Memorial Service celebrating Ginger's life will be held on Saturday, January 28th at 11am at Sacred Heart Parish of Saratoga, 13716 Saratoga Ave., Saratoga Calif. 95070.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Child Avocates of Silicon Valley https://www.bemyadvocate.org.
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Memories and Condolences
for Virginia Shirley
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2 Entries
Helen Phillips
February 19, 2017
February 19, 2017
Ginger was probably the finest woman I'll ever know and I'll never forget her.
Accomplished, gracious, generous, and utterly unselfish. Earth has lost a great
soul and a great lady who blessed the lives
of all who knew her. Gone too soon. Rest
in Peace, sweet girl !
Roy Moses
January 26, 2017
To Ginger's Family,
We are very sorry for your huge loss of a great mom, grandma and cherished family member. She was a wonderful, sensitive, strong woman who reveled in the world around her, especially, her family. They were all a light in her life and her chain-of-love which now reaches to the stars.
Ginger was the Captain of her ship and she guided her own path in life touching all of the lives who had the pleasure to know her.
In her final years and days she was cradled in the soothing arms of her family whom she had nurtured for years and now she is at peace with her Maker.
Ginger was a wonderful friend, a fantastic realtor and a dear soul whom we will all miss as a wonderful person and a great colleague.
May she rest in Peace.
Roy & Sue
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