Virginia “Ginger” Meyer, 76, of Dubuque, passed away Thursday, July 11, 2024 at Stonehill Care Center.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 John F. Kennedy Rd., Dubuque. Entombment will be at Linwood Cemetery.

Ginger was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the daughter of Dr. David and Virginia (Shoemaker) Kapp. She is survived by her caring siblings: Elizabeth, Corinne and David Kapp; 4 wonderful daughters: Lisa Dorothy, Sara (Bill) Mitchinson, Katie (Glen) Foote and Corinne Meyer; 8 precious grandchildren, who brought enormous joy and sunshine into her life: Benjamin, William, and Allison Mitchinson, Matthew, Paige, Levi and Hannah Foote and Finley Nelson, as well as honorary family members: Shelly Jones, Ashley Simon and friend Connie Murphy and her husband Mike.

Ginger lived in Sayre, Pennsylvania until the family moved to Dubuque, Iowa in 1960. She graduated from Dubuque High School in 1966. In 1970, she started working at Area Residential Care in the childrens’ dorm. She so loved of the people who lived there that she went back to school, graduating from the University of Dubuque with degrees in K-12 education, special education and a teaching major in Psychology. She left ARC for three years and worked as a supervisor of the outlet store for the Galena Workshop for the Handicapped. She returned to ARC in 1978, working in several residential dorms and became the Behavior Intervention Specialist, a job she held until her 2014 retirement. During her last 10 years of employment, she also worked at Hillcrest Vizaleea and Marywood homes. Ginger worked with many wonderful people who received services, as well as many amazing direct care and professional staff.

Ginger liked going for long walks in her neighborhood and water walking with her friends in the summertime. She enjoyed playing the piano and the dulcimer. She had many hobbies she enjoyed: quilting, knitting, stained glass, pottery, genealogy and gardening. She felt lucky to have such a loving caring family, friends and neighbors who helped her be able to live in her garden (and her home) as long as possible.

Ginger and her family would like to extend sincere thanks to Dr. Amy Winsky, Dr. Eric Engelman, Alan Dostal, Connie and Mike Murphy, and the hospice care team, especially Diane.

Per Ginger‘s request, there will be no funeral services and no cut flower arrangements. If you are inclined, you can plant something for someone you love, visit the arboretum or just eat a piece of chocolate and think of a good memory you have with her. She believes in an afterlife so, if she can, she will watch over those she loves.