Virginia "Ginny" Christine Williams Anderegg

Virginia “Ginny” Christine Williams Anderegg, 94, peacefully passed into eternity early on Christmas Day morning at Ascension Hospital in Racine. Ginny was born on April 18, 1926, in Asheville, NC to Floyd W. and Bertha (nee Fricks) Williams. Despite the challenges of the Great Depression, hers was a happy childhood. Her memories of growing up in Asheville were fond and filled with richness of friends and family. She was an excellent student and graduated as Valedictorian of her class at Emma High School. She was also a student athlete playing on the Emma HS basketball team. In her later teen years, she worked after school – for a while as a salesperson in a dress shop and then as a switchboard operator with the local telephone company. Since this was during WWII, she loved the thrill of helping connect soldiers who were calling home to their families.

The war was not only the defining event of her early life, but also the catalyst for everything that came later. When her good friend, Jimmy Cordell, entered the service, he was stationed at Roswell, NM. In the bunk above was a young soldier from Iowa by the name of Dwaine “Andy” L. Anderegg. One day, Jimmy showed Andy a picture of Ginny and so began the great love affair of her life.

Dwaine wrote Ginny and Ginny wrote back. After months of heart-felt correspondence, Ginny convinced her mother to travel with her to Roswell by train to meet this young man. Upon arrival, Dwaine and Ginny fell even more deeply in love and after only 10 hours together, he proposed. On October 7, 1944, Dwaine and Ginny were married in Asheville and began a marriage that lasted for more than 66 years.

When the war ended, Andy and Ginny settled first in La Crosse, WI and moved to Racine in 1960. During this time, Ginny turned her attention to the four great passions that filled the next 75 years of her life. First and foremost, Ginny was about family. As a child, she dreamed of having four boys and she lived her dream. She was infinitely proud of her “four boys” and supported them in all of their efforts – from school to music to sports and beyond. For many of their school years, she was the consummate PTA volunteer, classroom assistant, and homework helper. As the boys grew into adults, she reveled in their marriages and was thrilled by the addition of grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Second, she was a natural people-person, born organizer and skilled party planner. She loved to cook and entertain at home. Ginny and Andy made friends everywhere they went and kept those friendships for a lifetime. There was the Jupiter Street gang from the Horlick neighborhood and the Racine Unified gang of those who worked with Andy. There were friends made on their travels around the world and the many foreign exchange students who they hosted through Rotary and other organizations. There were church friends, volunteer friends, and friends of “her boys.” All were always welcome at their home and dinner table.

Third, Ginny was one of Racine’s great volunteers. The organizations that she served are many and include: All Saints Healthcare (34 years in a wide range of capacities), Racine Area Retired Educators Association, YMCA Boys Choir, Racine Kilties, Racine Convention & Visitors Bureau, Racine Sesquicentennial Planning Committee, Rotary Inner Wheel, Downtown Racine Corporation, DeKoven Foundation, and the United Methodist Church. The one closest to her heart, however, was her 18 years as an E.R. volunteer at St. Luke’s Hospital. The Racine community recognized her many contributions in 2001 when she was named the “Community Volunteer Woman of Distinction” by the YWCA.

Finally, Ginny was passionate about travel. In their early days, she and Andy loved to camp. They made a commitment to have their boys visit all 48 contiguous U.S. states before they graduated from high school and they succeeded. Later, they reveled in taking their grandchildren on camping trips each summer. They also indulged in their interest in international travel and, together, they visited 6 of the world’s 7 continents.

She loved sports and was passionate about football and baseball, frequently attending and rarely missing a Packers, Badgers or Brewers game.

Ginny is survived by her beloved sons, Terry (Susan) Anderegg of Muskego, Greg (Carol) Anderegg of Racine, and Rex (Coral) Anderegg of Whitefish Bay; her dear daughter-in-law Bobbie Anderegg of Racine; her cherished grandchildren Daniel (Kim) Anderegg, Zak (Michelle) Anderegg, Aimee Anderegg, Samantha (Eric) Anderegg-Boticki, Danielle Anderegg, Alexander (Abbie) Anderegg, and Brandon Anderegg; and, her much loved great-grandchildren Dylan Anderegg and Mila Anderegg. She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband Dwaine; and her much-missed son Tim Anderegg.

Family and friends are invited to gather to celebrate the life and legacy of Ginny Anderegg Thursday, October 7, 2021, at the Racine Country Club, 2801 Northwestern Avenue, Racine, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. with the sharing of Stories and Remembrances at 5:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers or for anyone wishing to memorialize her life, the family suggests contributions in her name to the Health Care Network, Attn: Alison Sergio, 500 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, WI 53403 or your favorite charity.