Obituary of Virginia Ann Karg

Virginia Ann Mittlestaedt Karg, known as Ginger, returned to her loving Heavenly Father on July 31, 2024 at the age of 84 due to complications from heart surgery.

Ginger was born October 22, 1939 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin to Elwin and Marie Mittlestaedt. She was the eldest sibling to John, Raymond (who preceded her in death), Elaine Geurtler (Pat), Harold and Helen (who died in infancy). She married James Clifford Karg in August 1959 and they were married for 65 years. They were later sealed for time and eternity in the Bern Switzerland Temple in 1973. Ginger is survived by her husband James and their five daughters Ann Marie Stevenson (Dan), Ruth Henderson (Dale), April Monteirth (Craig), Kara Free, and Ginell Bradley (Ryan), as well as 17 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.

James (Jim) was in the military and he and Ginger lived in so many places. Some places included Germany, Texas, Arizona, and Kansas. After Jim retired from the military, they ended up in sunny California, first in Upland and then Gridley, California, where they were residing at the time of her passing. When Ginger’s girls got older, she decided to go back to school and became a registered nurse. She loved every minute working with her patients. She worked as a med-surg nurse, an addiction and recovery nurse and her all-time favorite was when she worked in the neonatal unit. She often crocheted baby blankets for patients, friends, family and local charities. She liked to sell her blankets at the hospital gift shop and then would donate the money she made toward scholarships for nursing students.

In her spare time, Ginger loved to make things with her hands. You would often find her working on quilts, cross-stitch, and so much more. Her motto was: “To Quilt or Not to Quilt? What a Silly Question!” When her girls were growing up, she made many outfits for them and every Christmas Eve all the girls, and their favorite dolls, received handmade pajamas. She must have stayed up all night to make them because every year the pajamas were always a surprise. Everyone knew if she made something for you that meant she loved you.

She was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Ginger and Jim served a mission for the church in the Arizona Tucson Mission. They felt like everything came full circle when they were assigned to serve on a military base where Jim had previously been stationed. She loved helping people and this was a perfect thing to do when she retired from nursing.

Ginger will be laid to rest on August 6, 2024 in Gridley, California. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Arrangements entrusted to Gridley-Block Funeral Chapel.