Our sweet mother, Ginger (Gigi) Merritt, 81, embraced by the loving touch and sweet voices of her precious family, passed into the perfect love and healing arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Oct. 11, 2022, after a courageous 12-year struggle with Parkin- son’s Disease.
Ginger was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, on July 25, 1941, to parents W.D. (Dub) Bedingfield and Geraldine (Jerie) Ingle Bedingfield. She was raised in Corpus Christi and attended Roy Miller High School where she was a proud Buccaneer cheerleader and a Class Favorite, as well as a member of the Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers. Ginger was blessed with many deep and lasting friendships at Roy Miller, and the Old Bucs continue to keep in touch to this day.
It was in Corpus Christi where she attracted the eyes and the heart of the man chosen for her by the grace of God, the love of her life, the life of her love, her husband of 63 years, Jerry Merritt. Jerry graduated from Roy Miller and went on to dental school in Houston, and shortly after Ginger graduated, the couple were united in holy matrimony at Forrest Park Baptist Church in Corpus Christi on Aug. 22, 1959.
Jerry and Ginger resided Merritt
in Houston, Texas, for the next five years with Ginger taking a job as a secretary to help support them while Jerry completed dental school and his orthodontic residency. While in Houston, the couple had two sons, Jeff and Randy. In 1964, Ginger and Jerry relocated to San Antonio, and during the first year of Jerry’s private practice, their third child, daughter Missi, was born.
Over the next 35 years, Ginger led a full and active life, earning an associate degree in Music Education from Incarnate Word College, serving a term as president of the Women’s Auxiliary of the S.A. Dental Society, accompanying and assisting Jerry on medical missionary trips to Mexico and the Dominican Republic, and becoming a licensed Real Estate Agent and working for the Guy Chipman Agency.
She was also a strong, joyful, awe-inspiring and ever-loving presence in the lives of her husband, children and grandchildren. Ginger was selfless. She sacrificed everything for them (even her career as a famous country and western singer, as she sometimes had to re- mind them). There wasn’t a birthday, a recital, a game, a match or a show that she didn’t attend. She was their cheerleader and their biggest fan. She made her family her life’s work. They are her legacy, and her love will live in their hearts forever.
In 1999, Jerry and Ginger retired to God’s country, Boerne, Texas, and became some of the original residents of Cordillera Ranch, where they found the prayers and fellowship of friends that would last a lifetime.
Ginger loved singing and playing the piano. She sang like a bird. She sang in the kitchen. She sang in the car. She had a beautiful voice that was even sweeter when in three-part harmony with her sisters. On those precious occasions a church hymnal was never far away.
Ginger was a true disciple of Jesus and took his teachings on servanthood to heart. The ultimate hostess, she invited anyone and everyone into her home. She loved holidays when the family gathered around the kitchen table, talking and laughing, just being together (Thanksgiving was her favorite.) “You don’t need to bring anything,” she would say, “Just show up.” She loved winter vacations with family and friends in the Colorado mountains, where she was famous for her grace- ful snowplow and chairlift yo- dels, and she treasured family vacations
July 25, 1941 – October 11, 2022
at the Port Aransas beach, toes in the sand and summer songs in the breeze.
Gigi was always so full of life, so interesting, so much fun to be around, and was herself so funny. She was a natural at creating good memories. Everyone has a story about “One time I was with Gigi...”, and everyone’s face lights up with joy as they recall and share it with others who in turn can’t wait to share their own personal experience. Those moments, those precious memories, are her gift to us.
Ginger is preceded in death by her parents W.D. (Dub) and Geraldine (Jerri) Bedingfield.
She is survived by her husband Jerry; sisters, Mary Ann Link and husband Denis, and Nancy Oliver; brother, Douglas Bedingfield and wife Kathleen; sons, Jeff Merritt and wife Kimberly, and Randy Merritt; daughter, Missi Funk, and her cherished nieces, nephews and cousins.
Gigi was a loving grandmother to her five wonderful grandchildren, each of whom was the beloved apple of her eye; Macy and Hudson Merritt, and Taylor, Emily and Rachel Funk.
The Merritts wish to express their admiration, eternal gratitude and love to her devoted caregivers who became a part of our hearts and our family, Priscilla Williams and Christine Miller. We are beyond blessed by your strong faith and endless compassion, and the joy you brought to Gigi’s final years.
We are also grateful to her talented and caring physicians, Dr. Robert Goff, Dr. Bill Davis and Dr. Robert Bolling, as well as the Guiding Light Hospice Care team, whose professionalism and reassurances were indispensable in our time of need.
A memorial service will be held in the West Auditorium of Oak Hills Church located at 19595 IH 10 W San Antonio, Texas on Friday, October 21st at 1:30pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hill Country Pregnancy Care Center at 439 Fabra St, in Boerne, Texas, and Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries at 38 Cascade Caverns Rd. in Boerne, Texas. To leave condolences for the family and to view a video of Gigi’s life, please visit www. ebensberger- fisher.com. Arrangements with Ebensberger-Fisher Funeral Home of Boerne.
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