Tegina Louise Kanupp

Tegina “Miss Gina” Louise Cole, 60, of Swansboro, North Carolina, passed away on Sunday, March 16, 2025, at ECU Health Medical Center.

A funeral service to honor Miss Gina’s life will be held at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 23rd at Munden Funeral Home, officiated by Jay Parker. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

Born on April 17, 1964, in Alabama, she later moved to Hawaii and then to Havelock, NC. Gina was well known for her generous love and unwavering kindness towards others. Her strong will, and sometimes stubborn attitude, were characteristics that helped her persevere through life’s journey.

Gina’s warm smile and friendly demeanor made her a beloved figure at Cox's Family Restaurant, where she formed cherished connections with customers and co-workers whom she viewed as family. Gina’s vibrant personality and beautiful blue eyes, coupled with her distinctive white silver hair, were traits that made her light up the room the moment she entered.

Gina loved going to the beach, she enjoyed soaking in the sun, watching Logie, Daniel, Ryan, Candy, and Arial surf the day away with all of their friends. If you knew Gina you knew that she loved music, whether singing karaoke at Whispering Pines or riding in the car with her daughter Candy listening to their favorite tunes as loud as possible. Before her illness, she enjoyed dancing the night away at the racetrack, with Arial, Ariana, and boyfriend Ken Howell. It was there that she formed special bonds where she found friendships that became family, drivers that she loved, and a place that she called home.

Gina’s huge heart was seen through her love of her family and friends. She adored her grandbabies and was known to many as “mom”, “grandma” and “great grammy”. Wherever she went, Gina made an impact on all the lives she touched.

Those remaining to cherish her memory are her daughters, Candace “Candy” Susan DeShong, Danielle Henry Hampton, Denise Dixon, Brenda Wheeler and husband Jason, April Gray, Kendal Howell, and Krystal Honeycutt; sons, Ryan Thomas Burns, Daniel Shawn Burns, Carl, James David, Kyle, Kris Honeycutt, Will, James, Travis, Al, Shawn, JT, and Chris; father, Richard Shirley; sisters, Donna Shirley Fite and husband Randy, Jacquie Ann, Rebecca Bromell, Mary Webb, and Julie Honeycutt; brothers, James “Jim” Lewis Shirley and wife Stephanie, Robert Morel, and Frank Meinen; grandchildren, Ariel Marie Bailey and husband Daniel, Logan “Logi” Kyle DeShong, Avah Marie Burns, Jasmine “Yellow Flower” Alexander Willis Webb, Laney, CJ, Shay, Gage, Lexi, Savannah, Alaiah, Brandon, Lance, Gunner, Mikey, Dayton, Lil’Rell, Alexis, Emily, Georgia, Madi, Ashley, Addi, Lilly, Kimberly, Kekoa, Kaimen, Quinn, Kat, Wes, Harley, Dane, and Link; great-grandchildren, Ariana “Hazel” Grace Bailey and Baby Kay; Broad Creek and Paradise East Kids, along with many more loving extended family.

Gina was preceded in death by her mother, Linda Shirley; biological father, Vernon Cantrell; adopted father, Dwayne Cole; brother, Brian Keith Cole; daughter, Krystal Willis; sons, David Fields and Daniel Dilbeck; precious still born child; and close friend, Jennifer Cox.

The family would like to express heartfelt thanks to all the medical teams that helped Miss Gina along her journey including but not limited to Carteret Rabb Center, Carteret Health Care, ECU Medical Center. The family would also like to express special thanks to Kelly Langley and Carl Fowler, and so many others for all the physical and emotional support.

As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be made to the family by clicking here.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.