Virginia Andrews

Virginia Helen Rogers Andrews died peacefully on December 17, 2024 surrounded by her family.

Ginger, as she was universally known, was born on January 27, 1931, in Denver, Colorado to Helen McDow (Blackstock) Rogers and Virgil Madison Rogers. Helen died when Ginger was less than two years old, and her father soon married Julia Chaine Rogers, the woman Ginger knew as her mother. Ginger lived her early years in Gunnison and Boulder, Colorado, but grew up in the Midwest, moving first to River Forest, Illinois and then to Battle Creek, Michigan, communities in which her father served as superintendent of schools. She spent six weeks living with a host family in Denmark with the Lisle Fellowship. She graduated with honors from Michigan State University. After her family moved to Syracuse, where her father had been appointed Dean of the School of Education at Syracuse University, she received her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Buffalo. Ginger met attorney William (Bill) Shankland Andrews at a young Democrats meeting and they married in 1956. They lived the rest of their lives in Syracuse. In recent years Ginger found friendship and support at the Nottingham retirement community.

Ginger was a passionate advocate for social justice and an ardent Democrat. She had a long career working as a social worker in several different settings – at Planned Parenthood, Percy Hughes elementary school, Onondaga Pastoral Counseling Center, and in private practice. She also taught in the School of Social Work at Syracuse University and served as preceptor for social work students over many years. Late in her career she was recognized as ‘Social Worker of the Year’ by the central New York chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. She was also recognized by the Mental Health Association of Onondaga County as the ‘Individual Advocate of the Year’ “for increasing access to mental health and support services for those affected by domestic violence and advocating for systemic reform.”

Ginger enjoyed spending time with her family at their cabin on Seneca Lake. Ginger also loved traveling abroad with her brother and sister-in-law, seeing as much of the world as she could. 

She was predeceased by her parents, her husband of 59 years, and a younger sister, Julie Catherine Rogers. She is survived by her brother, Bruce Chaine Rogers (Diane) of Sacramento, CA; her children, Nancy Catherine Andrews (Bernard Mathey-Prevot) of Newton, MA, David Rogers Andrews (Jennifer Glancy) and Ross Paul Andrews (Ann Atkins) of Syracuse, and Bruce Huntington Andrews (Didem Nisanci) of Washington DC; her grandchildren Camille and Nicolas Mathey-Andrews, Hunter and Mark Andrews, and Ella and Dahlia Andrews; nephews Paul and John Andrews, and Scott Rogers and niece Laura Nielsen.

In lieu of flowers, her family would be grateful for donations to Planned Parenthood Syracuse Center, 1120 E Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13210 https://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/new-york/syracuse/13210/syracuse-health-center-2471-91040 or Vera House, 723 James St, Syracuse, NY 13203 https://www.verahouse.org/

There will be no calling hours and no memorial service at this time.