Virginia “Ginger” Sue Vandergriff Deering passed away, Monday, December 18, 2017.

Service: 11 a.m. Wednesday, December 27, 2017, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Arlington. Visitation: 6–8 p.m. Tuesday, December 26, 2017, at Wade Funeral Home in Arlington.

Pallbearers: Grandsons Keller Smith, Bryce Benson, Brad Benson, Wade O’Hara, Tanner Hapeman, and Chase Hapeman.

Memorials: Her memory may be honored with a gift to the Alzheimer’s Association North Central Texas Chapter, 101 Summit Avenue, Fort Worth 76102.

Ginger’s life was always about family and friends. She was especially protective and supportive of her children and grandchildren whom she loved unconditionally.

She was fortunate to be the daughter of loving parents, Charles Pleasant Mayes and William Thomas “Hooker” Vandergriff and the little sister of brother, Tom “Bubba” Vandergriff.

Although she was born in Dallas, she always called Arlington home. Ginger graduated from Arlington High School and attended Arlington State College (University of Texas Arlington) and Southern Methodist University.

Almost from the time she was born, her passion was music. She fell in love with Frank Sinatra at an early age, sang with an orchestra and danced to the big band sounds and anything else that she could boogie to.

Ginger passed her love of song and dance on to her four children by filling their lives with all kinds of music and providing them with professional dance lessons at the Miss Persis School of Dancing where she designed costumes for recitals and shows for more than 20 years.

In the late 60’s at the height of the wildly popular movie, “The Sound of Music,” she and her four children took their performing abilities on the road. Known as “The Hapeman Kids”, mom and her brood delighted hundreds of Metroplex people at
schools, nursing homes, churches and civic groups as they sang and danced their own “Sound of Music.”

Summer for Ginger always meant heading to Colorado and Hookerdale, the family’s creek side cabin just below St. Elmo. Hot rock steak dinners, feeding chipmunks, and putting on a show made each trip a special adventure.

On April 8, 1970, Ginger expanded her family when she married Jerry Deering, a high school friend and Credit Union pioneer. Although she was afraid of flying, she became the perfect hostess for his business associates and friends at events across the country and in the Deering home.

At barely 5’ tall, Ginger was firry, fierce, feisty and fun … one of a kind who gave all of herself to the people she loved.

Preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Hooker Vandergriff and brother, Tom Vandergriff.

Survivors: Husband, Jerry Deering; children, Charlsey Fawkes and husband, Rick, Tommy Hapeman, Dorcas Benson and husband, Dennis, Vance Hapeman and wife, Dana, 10 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and a host of extended family and friends.

Wade Family Funeral Home
817-274-9233

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