Ginger Elich

Ginger was born in San Antonio Texas on September 4, 1940. Her parents were Robert and Ruth Marshall. Her early years were spent in the Heights in Houston, where she was involved in many dance programs and was an excellent dancer. She also loved to play piano. When she was in high school, she moved to Hearne and became fast friends with a girl named Loretta Westbrook. A friendship that would last a lifetime. Oh, the stories that they have! While in high school, Ginger was a cheerleader for the Hearne High Eagles.

She met Sam Degelia and they were married Dec. 23, 1956. They had four children- Tammy, Sam, Jim, and David. Ginger married into a large Italian family, where many a dinner was spent gathered around a large table, eating spaghetti, suga, and meatballs. Ginger was very involved in the garden club, bridge club, and a bowling league in Hearne. She was also involved in her children’s activities, especially cheering on at every sporting event.

Her love of travel began during this time and continued throughout her life.

Upon the death of her husband Sam in 1968, Ginger moved the family to Austin. There she began her career at the Texas Department of Public Safety, in the narcotics division, where she made many lifelong friends.

In 1980, Ginger married Les Elich. They were married almost 42 years. They traveled a lot, but their favorite place to visit was Las Vegas. Many of their trips were taken with dear friends, Loretta and Joe Moore. In fact, the Moores and Degelias always took summer vacations together to Galveston. We had many adventures, like the time the boys filled up the Galvez bathtub with crabs or the time Loretta and Ginger got locked out of their room. Ginger and Loretta also took Europe and Australia by storm on many trips. One time during a trip to Europe, the duo got locked out of their hotel, in their pajamas. In their later years, cruises were their go-to vacations.

Ginger’s true passion was her family. She had seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren- all of whom she enjoyed visiting with. In recent years, Ginger’s house was filled with Legos and loud little boys. She loved every minute of it.

Ginger was preceded in death by her parents, Ruth and Robert Marshall, her husband Sam, her in-laws Sam and Bea Degelia and her brother Bill Lester. She is survived by her husband Les Elich; daughter Tammy and husband James Threadgill; son Sam Degelia and Lucky Hollingsworth; son Jim and wife Rikki Degelia; and son David and wife Lana Degelia; step-daughters Pam Fojtik and Lynda Edwards. Her grandchildren: Greg and wife Sara Threadgill, Brad Threadgill, Kirsti Degelia, Laura Alexander-Degelia and wife Sierra Alexander-Degelia, Katie Degelia, Bear Degelia, Bodhi Degelia, Matt Fojtik and wife Katie Fojtik, Cody Fojtik and wife Ashley Fojtik, and Kyle Fojtik and wife Madeline Fojtik and Brandon Jones and wife Amanda and great-grandchildren, Wyatt and Emmett Threadgill, and Charlotte, Lorelai, Lucas, and Gwenevere, Lincoln, and Emerson Fojtik; Sister-in-laws Cindy Wallace and husband Hugh Wallace; and Linda Trojacek and husband Carl Trojacek; brother-in-laws John Elich and wife Pat, and Tom Elich and wife Kit; many nieces and nephews, and her dear friends Loretta and Joe Moore.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Polycystic Kidney Disease foundation.