Mary Virginia ‘Ginger’ Eckenrode

She was born in Patton, daughter of the late Mark and Ruth (Shunkwiler) Brown. On June 30, 1962, she married Alfred J. Eckenrode at St. Mary’s Church, Patton, and he preceded her in death in 2010.

Surviving are eight children, whom Fred and Ginger raised together: Raymond and Amy Jo (Hanna) Eckenrode of Patton, Eileen and Dave Foster of Columbia, Md., Amy and Don Clayton of Gulf Breeze, Fla., Rebecca Eckenrode and Rick Gwizdak of Carrolltown, John and Judi (Shero) Eckenrode of Fairfax, Va., Jenny and John Fees of Carrolltown, Eric and Stacey (Moore) Eckenrode of Carrolltown and Scott Eckenrode and Kathleen Plouse-Heming of Carrolltown. Also suriving are her pride and joy: 16 grandchildren: Stephanie Foster of Columbia, Md., Jude Eckenrode of Carrolltown, Brock and Hunter Clayton of Gulf Breeze, Fla., Nicole (Justin) Gresko of Vintondale, Richard and Alyssa Gwizdak of Carrolltown, Jordan (Amber) Fees of Carrolltown, John Fees (fiance Kirsten Bell) of Pittsburgh, Josh Fees of Carrolltown, Kevin Bertram of Seoul, South Korea, Cooper and Elena Eckenrode of Carrolltown, and Katelynn, Kerynn and Kolynn Eckenrode of Temple, Texas; and three great-grandchildren: Mia Gresko, Kennedy and Easton Fees. She is also survived by three step-grandchildren: James Heming II, Gabrielle Heming and Caleb Wetherson; a younger brother, Kenneth J. and wife, Carol, of Patton; numerous nieces and nephews; and a sister-in-law, Rose Crawford of Vista, Calif.

She was preceded in death by four brothers: Mark, Thomas, Charles and Jack; and two sisters: Rita and Norma; and a daughter-in-law, Karen Grigg-Eckenrode.

In 1957, Ginger graduated as a registered nurse from Johnstown Mercy School of Nursing. For 30 years, she was employed at Miners Hospital, Spangler, and then in the office of Dr. Alfredo Reyes for 10 more years. Her patients were her passion, and many of them became her friends. She was past president of the Northern Cambria Nurses Association, and she sat on the board of trustees at Miners Hospital for 18 years. She was also on the board of trustees for Mom’s House in Northern Cambria, and she was an American Red Cross volunteer for many years.

Ginger’s Catholic faith was the most important thing in her life, and her roles as wife and mother were rooted in that faith. She was active in her church, St. Benedict’s in Carrolltown, and the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese in numerous ways, culminating in her being awarded the Prince Gallitzin Cross in 1998. For seven years, she served on the Diocesan Lay Commission, and she was also a marriage tribunal advocate on the diocesan level. At St. Benedict’s, she was co-chairperson of the church festival committee for 10 years and a member of the finance committee and the evangelization and liturgical committee. She was a lector for many years and considered her reading voice a gift from God. She was a past president of the Altar Rosary Society, a secondgrade C.C.D. teacher and vice regent for the Catholic Daughters of America Court Our Lady of Victory. In addition, she was a Birthright volunteer and a member of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation. She was former president of the St. Benedict Home-School Association and a member of the St. Jude League. Ginger had a special relationship with St. Jude, whom she often called her best friend.

She was involved in many community-based activities in Carrolltown, and in 2002, she and her husband were given the borough’s first Outstanding Citizens Award. She managed and operated the concession stand at the Carrolltown Little League field for 18 years, starting off in the bed of the family pickup truck, an undertaking that led to the formation of the Carrolltown Recreation Commission, where she was a charter member. She helped oversee the startup of the borough’s annual Easter egg hunt, Halloween parade and Christmas decorating contest. Ginger was also the former cheerleading advisor at Cambria Heights High School and a charter member of the school district’s Curriculum Advisory Committee.

Ginger was a breast cancer survivor and active in many cancer-related charities. Her second cancer battle, this time with bladder cancer, ended not with a loss, but in a draw.

In her spare time, she loved to travel, swim, play bingo and, most importantly, attend her children and grandchildren’s sporting events. She was a loud and avid fan of Pittsburgh professional sports teams, as well as amateur teams from Carrolltown, Patton, Cambria Heights and Johnstown. She could often be found sitting behind home plate at baseball games, and she was never shy about offering her opinions or advice to coaches and umpires alike.

Ginger liked to say “You are never dead as long as someone remembers you.” In that sense, she will always be with her loved ones, as her spirit and grace will be impossible to forget.

Friends will be received from 2 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017, at Stevens Funeral Home Inc., Carrolltown, where a vigil for the deceased will be held. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017, at Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Patton, where Ginger was baptized, received First Holy Communion and confession and where she was married. Committal will be at St. Benedict Cemetery, Carrolltown.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Ginger’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148, or to Carrolltown Recreation Commission, Box 307, 140 East Carroll St., Carrolltown PA 15722.

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