Virginia S. Shedden

Virginia “Ginger” Shaw Shedden, 91, of Rogue River, OR died Wednesday, Sept. 7, at Morrow Heights Assisted Living Facility.

Ginger was born Virginia Shaw on Feb. 20, 1920 in White Plains, NY, the daughter of Guthrie Shaw of Brooklyn, NY and Virginia Thorne of Chicago, IL. Her family moved to Rye, NY in 1926 where she attended the Rye Country Day School and Westover School. In May of 1942 she married Robert L. Shedden, a Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps from Chappaqua, NY. Robert was killed during WWII while on anti-submarine patrol. Ginger studied landscaping at Columbia University for a short time, but left to volunteer for the war efforts. She also taught nursery school and kindergarten. In June of 1945 she married Robert’s brother, Captain Shepard T. Shedden and, after the war, they moved to Cleveland, Ohio where they raised two children. They lived there until the time of their divorce in 1973. Ginger remained in Cleveland until 1982 when she moved to Salem, OR. While in Salem she played duplicate bridge and became a Bronze Life Master. In 1999, just shy of her 80th birthday, Ginger moved to Grants Pass, OR to be closer to her daughter’s family and, as she approached her 90th birthday, she moved into Morrow Heights Assisted Living Facility in Rogue River, OR with her Cocker Spaniel, Betty.

Ginger travelled extensively during her lifetime. She also was an avid gardener and loved to read, feed the birds and take long walks with her dog. She did a great deal of volunteer work as well, working for the Cleveland Society for the Blind, libraries, and, when she was 86 she was still helping first grade readers learn to read at Redwood Elementary School.

She is survived by her sister, Cherry Swords of Hamden, CT; her son, Robert L. Shedden of La Habra Heights., CA; her daughter, Taube S. Wurst of Rogue River, OR; and 3 grandchildren, Aimee Wurst of Holts Summit, MO, Megan Wurst of Grants Pass, OR and Jennifer Shedden of La Habra Heights, CA. A younger brother, Ronald T. Shaw, died in 1938.

No services are planned. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.