Obituary for Virginia "Ginger" A. Schaffner (Adams)
Virginia "Ginger" A. Schaffner (nee Adams), wife of the late John B. Schaffner, beloved mother of Christopher (Ann), Heidi, and Heather Schaffner, devoted sister of John Adams and Caroline (JB) Pol. Beloved grandmother of Skye, Bennett, and Thomas. Dear great-grandmother of Hendrix and Fern. Died May 14, 2021 at age 81. Residence Anderson Twp. Friends may visit at T P WHITE & SONS Funeral Home 2050 Beechmont Ave. Mt. Washington on Mon. May 24, from 12 Noon to 2 PM. Memorials to the Alzheimer's Association.
Ginger Schaffner played many roles in her life daughter, sister, student, friend, sorority sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, teacher, author, cake decorator, world traveler, photographer, gardener, cheese expert. A life well lived, full of love and joy, with a firm belief in the goodness in all, justice, and fairness.
Virginia Ginger Adams Schaffner was born May 22, 1939, in Montgomery Alabama, to parents Bennett and Frances Adams and joined her older sister Carolyn in the family unit. During World War II the family moved to Atlanta, where she served on the home front with her mother and sister while her father fought in Europe. After the war, the family welcomed younger brother John, and settled into a comfortable suburban routine.
In the early 1950s her father was transferred to Cincinnati. They settled in Mt. Washington, on Dell Terrace. Ginger went to the Mt. Washington School and later Withrow HS, where she made friends for a lifetime she was one of the organizers of their class reunions over the years. Ginger was a good student and a voracious reader, a habit that lasted throughout her life. After High School she went to Ohio Wesleyan University, where she studied in Speech and Drama. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority and maintained a connection with that group throughout her life. It is worth noting that she was lefthanded. She loved crossword puzzles and word games.
She met fellow Mt Washingtonian John B. Jack Schaffner, a TV Engineer at WLWT TV, at a local production of Arsenic and Old Lace, and they were married on his birthday, August 26, 1961. They put down roots in Mt. Washington, first in an apartment, and then in a small house on Rainbow Lane. Children followed quickly - three in fact Christopher Robin (1963) and twins Heidi and Heather in (1965). The twins were a surprise, and she had her hands full with three little ones and Jacks crazy schedule at Channel Five, but there were plenty of neighbor high school girls eager to help. In 1967 the family moved to a brand-new house on Flintshire Court, part of the Sherwood Forest Development in Anderson Township, just a couple miles from their previous home.
As the kids approached school age Ginger worked with several other families to create playschool, an informal cooperative nursery school. This interest in childrens education grew and she pursued a degree in Montessori Education, while teaching nursery school at St. Timothys Episcopal Church. Around this time she also authored a book called Crafts for Kids, which was published by a local childrens organization. She was crafty before crafty was cool. Her superpower was that she was a wizard with scissors. She could cut any shape, the same way a good artist can draw.
In these pre-energy crisis days, the family had purchased a green Dodge van, which was converted into a camper. The family took long vacations every summer driving across the continent from San Francisco to the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec. Gingers parents had moved back to Atlanta, so summertime trips to visit them were not uncommon.
In the mid 1970s things got a bit more challenging. Jack was underemployed due to a strike at WLWT so to help makes end meet Ginger took a job as a secret shopper for Krogers. After a few months as a secret shopper, one becomes well known to the stores, so the job transitioned to working in the Mt. Washington Krogers in the Deli. Her relationship with Krogers lasted almost 40 years, during which time she worked in delis, bakeries and finally the Cheese Shop in stores in Mt. Washington, Milford, Cherry Grove and the flagship store in Anderson. Ginger was an avid baker and a cake decorator supreme. Shed also be the first to tell you that the Manchego Cheese was going to taste delicious if you drizzled it with honey.
Fate took another turn in January of 1986 when Jack died suddenly. Widowed at a young age, she showed tremendous courage and perseverance, with support from her family. Still her sense of humor came through. At her husbands funeral service, when the presiding minister said, None of us want to be here today she turned to her children and said, least of all your father.
The next few years brought work, helping her children leave the nest, and lots of travel, mostly to visit her children in far flung places. She was a reliable presence and always there when her kids needed something. During this time, she also renewed her interest in photography - she even won a ribbon for her photos in the Hamilton County Fair.
She had ambitions as a gardener, always planting more so shed have less grass to cut. She took special pride in her Prize-Winning Sargent Crabapple Tree with white flowers across a 40-foot spread. In 2016 it was selected in the first group of Anderson Townships Great Trees by the township Street Tree Committee. She was so proud of it she threw a tree party for several years during April when it was in bloom.
Eventually, she retired from Krogers although she was induced to come back several times. Anyone who went shopping with her was at risk of being introduced to all her former co-workers, and sometimes even the CEO!
In her retirement, she took cruises to Alaska and the Caribbean, trips to Florida with her sister, and travels to see her children and grandchildren, from San Diego to London.
Several years ago, she received the unfortunate diagnosis of Alzheimers. Eventually she had to leave the home on Flintshire shed lived in for 50+ years, and still shared with her daughter. She moved to the Landing on Long Cove in Mason, who took great care of her, and gave her new friends and entertainment. She even got to bring one of her cats with her.
Most of all she loved her family and mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Ginger Schaffner played many roles in her life daughter, sister, student, friend, sorority sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, teacher, author, cake decorator, world traveler, photographer, gardener, cheese expert. A life well lived, full of love and joy, with a firm belief in the goodness in all, justice, and fairness.
Virginia Ginger Adams Schaffner was born May 22, 1939, in Montgomery Alabama, to parents Bennett and Frances Adams and joined her older sister Carolyn in the family unit. During World War II the family moved to Atlanta, where she served on the home front with her mother and sister while her father fought in Europe. After the war, the family welcomed younger brother John, and settled into a comfortable suburban routine.
In the early 1950s her father was transferred to Cincinnati. They settled in Mt. Washington, on Dell Terrace. Ginger went to the Mt. Washington School and later Withrow HS, where she made friends for a lifetime she was one of the organizers of their class reunions over the years. Ginger was a good student and a voracious reader, a habit that lasted throughout her life. After High School she went to Ohio Wesleyan University, where she studied in Speech and Drama. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority and maintained a connection with that group throughout her life. It is worth noting that she was lefthanded. She loved crossword puzzles and word games.
She met fellow Mt Washingtonian John B. Jack Schaffner, a TV Engineer at WLWT TV, at a local production of Arsenic and Old Lace, and they were married on his birthday, August 26, 1961. They put down roots in Mt. Washington, first in an apartment, and then in a small house on Rainbow Lane. Children followed quickly - three in fact Christopher Robin (1963) and twins Heidi and Heather in (1965). The twins were a surprise, and she had her hands full with three little ones and Jacks crazy schedule at Channel Five, but there were plenty of neighbor high school girls eager to help. In 1967 the family moved to a brand-new house on Flintshire Court, part of the Sherwood Forest Development in Anderson Township, just a couple miles from their previous home.
As the kids approached school age Ginger worked with several other families to create playschool, an informal cooperative nursery school. This interest in childrens education grew and she pursued a degree in Montessori Education, while teaching nursery school at St. Timothys Episcopal Church. Around this time she also authored a book called Crafts for Kids, which was published by a local childrens organization. She was crafty before crafty was cool. Her superpower was that she was a wizard with scissors. She could cut any shape, the same way a good artist can draw.
In these pre-energy crisis days, the family had purchased a green Dodge van, which was converted into a camper. The family took long vacations every summer driving across the continent from San Francisco to the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec. Gingers parents had moved back to Atlanta, so summertime trips to visit them were not uncommon.
In the mid 1970s things got a bit more challenging. Jack was underemployed due to a strike at WLWT so to help makes end meet Ginger took a job as a secret shopper for Krogers. After a few months as a secret shopper, one becomes well known to the stores, so the job transitioned to working in the Mt. Washington Krogers in the Deli. Her relationship with Krogers lasted almost 40 years, during which time she worked in delis, bakeries and finally the Cheese Shop in stores in Mt. Washington, Milford, Cherry Grove and the flagship store in Anderson. Ginger was an avid baker and a cake decorator supreme. Shed also be the first to tell you that the Manchego Cheese was going to taste delicious if you drizzled it with honey.
Fate took another turn in January of 1986 when Jack died suddenly. Widowed at a young age, she showed tremendous courage and perseverance, with support from her family. Still her sense of humor came through. At her husbands funeral service, when the presiding minister said, None of us want to be here today she turned to her children and said, least of all your father.
The next few years brought work, helping her children leave the nest, and lots of travel, mostly to visit her children in far flung places. She was a reliable presence and always there when her kids needed something. During this time, she also renewed her interest in photography - she even won a ribbon for her photos in the Hamilton County Fair.
She had ambitions as a gardener, always planting more so shed have less grass to cut. She took special pride in her Prize-Winning Sargent Crabapple Tree with white flowers across a 40-foot spread. In 2016 it was selected in the first group of Anderson Townships Great Trees by the township Street Tree Committee. She was so proud of it she threw a tree party for several years during April when it was in bloom.
Eventually, she retired from Krogers although she was induced to come back several times. Anyone who went shopping with her was at risk of being introduced to all her former co-workers, and sometimes even the CEO!
In her retirement, she took cruises to Alaska and the Caribbean, trips to Florida with her sister, and travels to see her children and grandchildren, from San Diego to London.
Several years ago, she received the unfortunate diagnosis of Alzheimers. Eventually she had to leave the home on Flintshire shed lived in for 50+ years, and still shared with her daughter. She moved to the Landing on Long Cove in Mason, who took great care of her, and gave her new friends and entertainment. She even got to bring one of her cats with her.
Most of all she loved her family and mint chocolate chip ice cream.