Virginia M. "Ginger" Paul, age 79 of Champlin, passed away on Monday, June 8, 2020 at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids.

Virginia "Ginger" (Fehn) Paul, without plans or preparation, went to the party of a lifetime.  Dressed in style with her make-up done right and in the words of Ginger, "My wig is on point today and my lipstick won't fade", she entered the gates of Heaven.  She was the compilation of a lady and a tomboy born to the late Peter and Eleanor (Johnson) Fehn on GroundHogs Day 1941, in Minneapolis MN.  Always proud to tell you that she went to Catholic Schooling her entire life and passed this on to raise her children with faith.  One story she would tell us all growing up is how she could fake the nuns out sometimes by drawing a line up the back of her legs to look like she was wearing stockings.  This story always made her laugh and smile, she was a creative one.

Growing up as literally the middle child, challenging and testing everything all the time helped to structure who she became.  A beautiful spitfire of a woman with so much integrity, compassion, empathy, kindness, love and mischief.  If we were reading this to her right now she would have interrupted us 5 times to tell us what was missed or correct the grammar or venture off into a story of her own.  Beautiful and passionate in her ways, always a colorful story teller and definitely a teacher of life.  Determined to make her path in this world, she started working right out of high school.  It was a friend at work who invited her to go watch a softball game that led to the meeting of the love of her life.  So this city girl meets this boy from the country, Champlin MN, and not sure if it was love at first sight, but she did break off an engagement to another boy...hmmm.  Gerald "Jerry' Paul was the one who stole her heart with his dancing, singing, and flirtatious loving nature.  The two of them could cut a rug like no one else on the floor.  Jerry introduced her to the life of living in a small town with a sea of friends and family.  All of whom she treasured always.  It didn't take long before they tied the knot on April 8, 1961.  Shortly after marriage, they started their family and moved permanently to live in Champlin MN.  The country life was a new learning curve that Ginger took on with strength and determination.  Life introduced her to sports, construction, animals, hunting, snowmobiles and many more adventures along the way.  Ginger always worked while raising 4 children, only part-time though, so she could make it to any performance or sporting event someone was doing.  This she continued all the way down to her great-grandchildren.  Ginger even tried playing on a softball team herself when she was working at Mercy Hospital.

One day during a game it started raining.  She decided to leave during the middle of an inning so her hair and makeup wouldn't get ruined; she never played again.  We think that was the day Ginger became the "Forever Superfan and Cheerleader" for us all, always supporting and loving us through every step.  Life presents you with many hurdles and Ginger has had her share, which she managed with all her strength.  She is a 10-year survivor of Breast Cancer, and there were a couple of what she would call "old people" surgeries which she surpassed.  But her biggest hurdle was taking care of Jerry after he was diagnosed with Dementia Alzheimer's.  She was a proud, compassionate caregiver, who was unselfish about her own time, to make sure he had the best care.  Did you know that Loving and Ginger are actually the same word?  Well mom, we just want you to know that All of us will take care of Dad for you and love him as much as you did.  He is in a great facility and we have let him know where you are and he knows that you are waiting for him in heaven.

Now, left with the adventurous task of going through every piece of paper Ginger saved and getting to know the rest of who she was are her 4 children: Kristi Paul (Lane Propp), Joseph (Katie) Paul, Robert (Christine) Paul, and Cheryl (Rob) Gruidl.  Nothing put a bigger smile on her face than the title of "Grandma Ginger"...10 times!  She was the coolest, quirkiest, happiest, most loving Grandma to Andria Seline (Michael Baumann), Joseph (Olivia) Seline, Dustin (Christi) Propp, Brittany Gruidl (Tyler Kari), Samantha Gruidl, Jesse (Dawn) Paul, Andrew Paul, Rachael Gruidl, Austin Paul, and Sarah Paul.  If you look in Ginger's purse, you can see her whole life.  She was especially proud when she became a Great-Grandma.  She loved showing pictures of her great-grandchildren:  Lucy, Henry, Mabel, and George Baumann, Jade and Cullen Kari, and was elated to hear on Mother's Day that there is a Baby Seline on the way.  Ginger made a lasting impact on the lives of her siblings:  Liz Fehn (Mark Bullock), Allan (Pam) Fehn, and brother-in-law, Larry Woodfill.

Ginger will be watching over us, along with those who went before her; sisters, Geraldine (Fehn) Woodfill, Marilyn (Fehn) Cady, and brother-in-law, Robert Cady.  She was an inspiration to us all as a wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.  She loved her family with all her heart and always kept in touch with every important person in her life.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 9100 93rd Avenue N., Brooklyn Park.  There will be no visitation prior to Mass.  Private Interment will take place in Champlin Cemetery.

Per CDC guidelines, social distancing and the wearing of masks is strongly recommended.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Alzheimer's Foundation ( www.alzfdn.org ).  Thank you to the family, neighbors and friends who have helped Ginger over the past few years; you are all angels on earth.  Thank you, mom, for teaching us to be the best we can be.  Our love for you can flood the oceans.  If any of you know Ginger, you can bet she had a bottle of her best Brandy in tow for her travels.  Always the fun spirited part of any gathering, with her laughter that would sometimes include a little snort, and her smile as wide as her face.  She loved getting together with family and friends.  With all that has been said, it only makes sense to raise your glasses high and give a toast to a wonderful woman who loved and cared for you all.

Arrangements entrusted to Thurston-Lindberg Funeral Home of Anoka (763) 421-0220