Virginia "Ginger" Elizabeth Doerges Graham

Memorial services for Ginger will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at the Cortez First United Methodist Church.

Ginger passed away August 6, 2023 after celebrating her 94^th birthday with friends and family. She was born on July 25, 1929 in Cheyenne, Wyoming when her family was living in Hereford, Colorado. Her parents, Robert and Mary Doerges, moved to Cortez when she was in the 7^th grade, and this was the place she loved.

Ginger met Billy Graham in Denver at a dance hall for service men. They fell in love and married a month later. They owned Macorada Farm Store after they took over for Ginger’s Dad. They spent a lot of time in the outdoors, and she loved it. This was obvious from the numerous scenery pictures. They went on a cruise to Alaska and had many more adventures.

Ginger thrived on helping the community. She was in the choir, the pianist, and the organist for the Methodist Church. She was also on the Board of Directors for the Montezuma County Hospital District and was very active in PEO and Eastern Star. Ginger worked with friends and colleagues for the Montezuma County Historical Society and she and June Head were instrumental in publishing four volumes of Great Sage Plain to Timberline – Our Pioneer History. Ginger spent hours in the basement of The Canyon of the Ancients Heritage Center transcribing notes of the Wetherills. After her brother, Jack, started the 40’s Bunch, Ginger and June developed an historical volume celebrating the graduates of MCHS in the 1940’s. As the song says, ‘these are a few of her favorite things’.

She was blessed with four children, Kathrine (Cortez Co.), Neal and his wife Judy (Cahone, Co.), Carol (Cortez, Co.), and Jim and his wife Michele (Loveland, Co.); Thirteen grandchildren; Twelve great grandchildren; and one great, great grandchild. She will be greatly missed, but not forgotten.