VIRGINIA EDGAR

Virginia Edgar departed this life from San Angelo, Texas, on Wednesday, November 01, 2006 in a local hospital. Memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, November 4, 2006 at the Robert Massie Riverside Chapel with Lewis Burnett officiating. Arrangements are made by Robert Massie Funeral Home. Ginny was born on April 15, 1924 in Ballinger, Texas to Harvey and Marie Grimes Hays, the eldest of three daughters. Ginny, as she was known all her life to family and friends was truly a gentle soul. No one ever heard her utter an ill word about another person. She adapted to her surroundings, no matter how severe. Even though she attended several high schools in her senior year she graduated at the top of her high school class in 1941 and entered San Angelo College, now Angelo State University, the following fall. There she met Bill Edgar whom she married in September of 1942. Their union produced three children; daughters Jan and Fan of Phoenix, AZ and son Bill IV of Bigfork, MT. She and Bill divorced in 1966 and she re-entered college at Oklahoma City University where she received her Bachelor Degree magna cum laude and Masters Degree with a 4.0 grade point average. She entered the field of university administration as Associate Director of Student Loans and was later employed by the University of New Mexico where she stayed until her retirement in 1986. During the Viet Nam war, she walked with ROTC students across the campus between classes so other students would not spit on them. She served as President of the University Student Loan Association for the year 1979-1980 with distinction. Ginny drove countless miles through the state visiting Indian reservations encouraging those students to better their lives through a college education. After twenty-two years apart, in 1988, she and Bill reunited to spend the rest of their lives together. In 1990, when Bill retired in Phoenix, AZ they returned to their roots in San Angelo, TX. Ginny silently suffered many assaults on her body including arthritis in both hands, a quadruple heart by-pass, carotid artery replacement and the loss of her left foot due to an accident during angioplasty while visiting in Phoenix in 1997. While employed at the University of New Mexico, she was bitten by a dog on campus which could not be found so she had to endure a series of rabies injections. The final blow came when at age 80, she was diagnosed with Pick's Disease, a very rare form of dementia often confused with Alzheimer's. The cause of this insidious disease is not known, it is not treatable and it is always fatal. Through all of this, she never lost her up beat spirit and perpetual optimism. Fortunate, indeed, are those who knew her and particularly the students she helped to get an education, to whom she was affectionately known as "Mrs. E.". Ginny always felt especially blessed to have had three wonderful children who loved her without reservation. She was preceded in death by her parents, as well as two aunts, Ruth Burnett and Marian Asberry. She is survived by the love of her life Bill III of San Angelo, daughter Jan Black and her life partner, Paul Fischer and daughter Fan Edgar all of Phoenix, AZ; son Bill Edgar IV and wife, Carol of Bigfork, MT as well as her sisters Nita Smith and husband, Hobby of San Angelo, Jean McManus and husband, Max of Webster, NC; three grandchildren Rebecca Roan, Cassandra Griffith and Bill Edgar V; four great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Her warm smile and gentle manner will always be remembered by those who knew her. Ginny was the perfect example of the expression, "It is amazing how much you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit". The family wishes to thank Dr. Walter Hewell, Dr. Bobby Niemann, Dr. Kay Johnston and the staff at Regency House Nursing Home for their thoughtful and efficient care during her final illness. Ginny's ashes with those of Bills, when he passes, will be spread over the mountains near Phoenix where their lives together began anew. They will spend eternity together on the mountain top. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to a charity of choice.