Virginia "Ginger" Blasing

The memorial service for Ginger Blasing will be held Friday February 28th at 11:00 AM at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pine Island, Minnesota. The Rev. Marie Anderson will officiate. Visitation will be 1 hour prior to the service at the church. Mrs. Blasing, 85, of Pine Island, died Wednesday February 5, 2025 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester.

What follows is Ginger's "Living Obituary," things she wrote that she wanted us to know about her after her passing. The writings occurred over a period of years. Here then is Ginger's living obituary.

Living Obituary by Ginger Blasing

My Birth

I was born in the early morning hours of September 30th, 1939 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota to Harry and Constance Runyan. Connie was a widow with two boys when she married Harry. My half-brothers' names were Robert Henry Grimm age 12 and Charles Ernest Grimm age 5. This is the story of my birth according to my mother. Earlier that afternoon Connie had had labor pains and she was admitted to St. Mary's. All labor stopped, so she was sent home. She said it was a beautiful warm evening so she and my dad walked back to their apartment (about 10 plus blocks). She returned in labor about 4am by taxi because they did not have a car. My dad said he threw up at the hospital when I was born from all the stress. Connie claims she named me Ginger Ann Runyan. Later when I went to find my birth certificate, it said, "Virginia Ann". Connie insisted (almost to her last breath) that it was wrong and blamed the name change on the Franciscan nuns at St. Mary's. The Catholic Church owned and had established St. Mary's Hospital early in Rochester's history with the Mayo Brothers and the tornado. It was not uncommon for nuns to write in a more proper name on birth certificates.

Baptism

Did my mother forget? I was baptized "Virginia Ann Runyan" at the Evangelical Church of Peace in Rochester April 30, 1944 by Pastor Ralph Hunger. The Church of Peace as it was known then, was on the corner of North Broadway and Seventh Street NW. The church is now located by Silver Lake Park NE and is called Peace United Church of Christ. Truly, I remember some of that day because I was 4 & ½ years old. I was baptized with my brother Chuck who was about 10 years old. I think our baptisms were late because we now rented a little house not far from there. We owned no car and the church was about seven blocks away from that little house. So we walked to church. I remember wanting to wipe the water running down from my forehead but my mother kept pushing my hand down. I can't remember if Bob was baptized at the time. (Terje Hausken baptized Bob in my living room by the Christmas tree (just before Christmas) in 1990. Bob died in Mountain View California of bone cancer February 21st, 1991. I loved Bob so much. Growing up it was like having two dads. Terje always told me God would have taken Bob to heaven anyway even if he was not baptized. (I believed what Terje told me.) I loved Terje Hausken and I loved Arnie Gathje. I also loved Kip Groettum.

Back to the Church of Peace: I remember going there for Sunday school and Vacation Bible school. It was so fun! I was always with the Hamister girls, especially Virginia who was my age. There were 3 of them, all sweet, caring girls. Virginia and I have remained friends. My mom's best friend went there. My dad went to church on holidays. Often, he worked at the Ryan's Texaco Station on North Broadway on weekends or at the Empress Billiards and Cafe. He worked at Waters Conley during the week.

Confirmation

I was confirmed at the United Methodist Church Sunday, April 6th, 1952 by Pastor Olin D. Jackson with my best friend Karen Briese. I know it says Rev. Jackson on the certificate but I was actually confirmed by Rev. John Mettam, a dear friend of my mother. Rev. Mettam was an older pastor that my mother admired so and was one of the three pastors there. Connie was very active in this church even though she worked full time. I remember nothing fun about this church. Well, accept the junior choir. Karen and I sang a lot together. We were the only two altos. We often walked to church and home together. Karen was very beautiful: tall and blond. She once was a show girl in Jubilee in Las Vegas for several years. Maybe I can write about her later.

I don't think my dad cared for this church either. He rarely went to church. He worked a lot and when he wasn't, he really enjoyed sitting in his chair, reading the Saturday Evening Post, the Life Magazine and the Sunday paper on Sunday mornings drinking his coffee and smoking. I know he believed in God and Jesus but he had been raised in the Assembly of God Church. I know his older sisters dragged him to church every night as a kid. Did I say how much I loved my dad? I did. I loved him with all my heart. He was a very kind and sweet man who loved my mother and me. He was very fond of Bob and they always got along very well. Dad called him "Robert" and Bob called him "Runyan". Harry never understood Chuck because Chuck was always in trouble so he kind of ignored Chuck. Funny, my dad always called my mother "Gus" or Constance. I could tell they were very much in love. They would do supper dishes together and often kiss and my mother would sing to him.

More for Obituary

I enjoyed camping and fishing and travel. Loved travel in our Airstream and visiting Becky and her family in Las Vegas. I loved our trip to Germany with the Phillipson's.

I love music especially big bands, Frank Sinatra and rock and roll. And Barry Manilow, Judy Collins, Bette Midler, Elvis Presley and Neil Diamond.

I loved science fiction movies esp. Star Wars, Star Trek and even early Superman.

I enjoyed my computer (using clip art/keeping records) Flyers for fundraisers.

I liked reading poetry and writing poetry. I also enjoyed writing programs with funny sketches.

Career and Family

Treasurer of the Greensview East Townhouse Association

Member of Saint Paul Lutheran Church since 1965.

Volunteer at Pine Haven Care Center and known as the Candy Lady.

Manage the Yearly Volunteer Cookie List at Pine Haven. I love the job!

I was the treasurer of the Ladies Auxiliary for 23 years. I resigned in 2014.

I worked for the Mayo Clinic as an EEG technician for 8 years. I worked for Dr. Willis Dickens in Fort Lauderdale Fla. for 2 years.

Other occupations: I worked for 2 years at Pine Plating. I worked for 5 years for Lochner's (a retail store) in Zumbrota. Peggy Lochner was one of the nicest ladies I have ever worked for. She was very business savvy. I was a clerk. I also designed and decorated the windows. I worked 20 months and 18 months at IBM as a supplemental twice. I really never like working at IBM. It just wasn't my thing. I did not like some of the women I worked with. I babysat the Hawkinson girls from across the road for 2+ years and cared for baby Molly Callister for about 1 year. Her mom had a cleaning service in Rochester. I worked as an activity assistant at Pine Haven Care Center for 4+ years and retired from there when we sold the car wash in 1999 and after Connie passed away that same year. I loved my job at Pine Haven. I enjoyed the residents very much. Right now, I volunteer there doing visits and helping where I can. I help residents to the dining room or help them eat.

Over the years, I stayed home off and on. I was a mom. I also mowed 6 acres of grass around the house and I could blow snow with the small tractor. I had Arnie's mom and my mom to care for.

I married Arnold Blasing on November 29, 1963.

Arnie died November 16, 2006.

I was proceeded in death by my parents and brothers Charles and Robert.

Also, Jon died on April 4th 2016 and that was the worst day of my life. I truly loved that wonderful guy and he was very good to me. I will miss him all of my life. The day we got him was one of the happiest days of my life. Another day, was my beautiful daughter on July 21st, 1969.

So, everyone knows: I dearly loved my two children, Jon and Rebekah. I am very proud of the great things each has accomplished. I love their children.

On August 20th, 2016. I gifted Pine Haven money for a Weber baby grand piano. Everyone thinks it is beautiful and love playing it. I gave it in memory of Jon. I feel close to him when I hear it played or just see it sitting there in the Fireside Room.

And now a poem written by Ginger Blasing

Beginnings and Endings

by Ginger Blasing

Our lives are filled with beginnings and endings,

God has put them there, it seems,

To remind us it is not just the starts and stops,

But how we use life's in-betweens.

A star in the heavens falls from the sky,

Did we see its gentle light before it failed?

A world missed the light of a gentle Jesus,

So His hands and feet were nailed.

Now each day, God demands the darkness,

To release the sun and all its light,

Do we truly use that day to love one another?

Before God calls back the night?

Do we tell the souls around us... I love you!

Do you need my strength... my care?

To ease your pain or feed your children

To give you hope in your despair?

No, we live for our own onsets and finales,

And rush along in life's fast streams,

We forget the central share of our existence,

We forget the precious in-betweens.

Now the in-betweens are where God's gifts are,

It is where we work... we live... we play,

Love each other... cherish the middles,

Before our days are swept away.

The rest of our lives begin this moment,

That final ending comes all too soon, dear friends,

But with God that ending will be a new beginning,

Where the in-between of heaven never ends.