Virginia "Ginger" McNeese

April 12, 1935 - April 14, 2025

The curtain went down for the final time on April 14, 2025, 90 years after the curtain went up for Ginger McNeese. 

Born in Camp Hill, Pa., on April 12, 1935, as Harryette Virginia Eldridge, she attended Sarah Lawrence College in New York, and met her husband Carter V. McNeese on a blind date, while he was attending the Naval Academy. They married and she began the life of a Navy pilot’s wife, living in Corpus Christi Texas, Pensacola, Fla., Jacksonville, Fla., Brunswick, Maine, and Annapolis. Md. Along the way, they had three children.

After Navy life they moved to Washington, D.C., (St. Albans School) before eventually moving to Lexington (Washington and Lee University) where she lived for nearly 50 years. A little over three years ago, she moved to an assisted living community near her son Danny in Leawood, Kan., and said goodbye to her beloved Lexington and friends. 

Ginger was always involved in the Lexington/Rockbridge County community. Whether working as a volunteer for Reach Out, or Meals on Wheels, running her own aerobics studio "The Body Shop", or working for several of the small businesses downtown, Ginger loved to be present. Her true love was singing, dancing and acting from a very young age. She was in high school plays, and was also a cheerleader. Singing and dancing in college or involved with musicals on naval bases, she absolutely loved the stage. Upon moving to Lexington, she continued to pursue that love. Whether it was the Troubador Theater, Henry Street Playhouse, Lime Kiln or many other venues, she was always singing and dancing. Many will remember her flying across the Henry Street Playhouse Stage as Peter Pan.  "There's No Business Like Show Business" was playing in her room when she passed.

Ginger was preceded in death by her husband, Carter V McNeese; her father, Jack Eldridge; her mother, Isabelle Eldridge; and her sister, Susie McKean. She is survived by her daughter, Suzanne McNeese; sons Dan McNeese (Brownyn) and Mike McNeese (Beverly); grandchildren Matthew McNeese (Alene), Tommy McNeese and Zoe Bienkiewicz; and great-granddaughter, MaryAnn McNeese.

Special heartfelt thanks are extended to the wonderful staff and friends at Colonial Oaks Assisted Living in Leawood, Kan., and to the special caregivers of Catholic Community Hospice for their loving care.

A celebration of Ginger's life will be held at a later date in her beloved Lexington. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Ginger & Carter McNeese Award in Theater at W&L (colonnadeconnections.wlu.edu/donate, scroll to "designations", select "other" and note McNeese Award in Theater in the comments section to donate).