Longtime Pacific Palisades resident Virginia (Ginger) Frerichs passed away on March 26 at the age of 77. Born on December 3, 1934, Virginia grew up in New York. After graduating from Hood College in Maryland, she came west. She worked for many years for the Santa Monica Police Department, eventually serving as secretary to the chief of police. From there, Virginia worked at UCLA in the nuclear physics department, analyzing the effects of nuclear fallout on plants recovered from test sites in the Mojave Desert. Later, she moved over to Paulist Productions and retired as a legal secretary at Collins and Snyder. In 1960, she married Ronald Frerichs, whom she met at the 20-Plus Club at the Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica. The couple moved into a home on Haverford in the Palisades in 1964. In retirement, Virginia volunteered at Santa Monica Hospital for 20 years as an interpreter in the labor and delivery wing. ‘She was not only fluent in Spanish but in four other foreign languages,’ Ronald said. Virginia and Ronald attended Palisades Presbyterian Church, where she became editor of the church bulletin. In addition, Virginia enjoyed tennis and badminton. She started the line-dancing class at the Recreation Center and worked as a Graffiti Buster, ‘painting out graffiti for 20 years,’ Ronald said. Virginia’s memorial will be private, but donations may be made in her name to the Alzheimer’s Association, 5900 Wilshire Blvd. #1100, Los Angeles, CA 90036 or call (323) 938-3379.
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