Virginia [Ginger] R. Mulanax

Virginia Reba “Ginger” Mulanax passed away on Monday, August 19, 2024, while sleeping peacefully at Oak Knoll Nursing & Rehabilitation. She was born on January 20, 1944, in Parsons, Kansas, the daughter of Virgil and Thorine (Oaks) Pryor. She attended Grand Canyon College in Phoenix, Arizona, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education and met her future husband, Gerald Dale. She began teaching middle school and high school English after graduation at Ravanna R-IV School District. After moving to St. Louis and earning her Master’s Degree in Special Education, she taught English, Social Studies, and Special Education at North Technical High School and West Technical High School in the Special School District. Always striving to help more students succeed, she also taught in Special School District’s SNAP and Homebound programs. After discovering that there weren’t enough qualified officials to help officiate at her children’s track meets, she worked to become a certified USA Track & Field official, focusing a lot of her energies towards racewalking and eventually gaining the experience and seniority to work the United States Track & Field Olympic Trials. An important part of the racewalking and local track & field communities, she was a past President of the Ozark Association and a long time member of the USA Track & Field Racewalking Executive Committee. She was especially proud of how many people became USATF officials with her encouragement and guidance. She loved traveling to track meets both local and around the US even if the tangible reward was just a t-shirt and a hot dog. Her hard work, upbeat attitude, and expertise gained her many friends around the country. Ginger was an avid crafter. She enjoyed surprising friends and family with cards and her own wrapping paper made from random other pieces of paper. She enjoyed painting landscapes (even if her mountains seemed to look like ice cream sundaes). Recently, she discovered a love of crayons (she finally got that big box with the sharpener!) and colored pencils decorating her room with beautiful flowers. Because of her love of reading, she became a Friend of the St. Louis County Library where she especially enjoyed the author events and grabbing the most recent popular mystery book off the “New Releases” shelf. Ginger also translated her love of classical music into a volunteer position for several years at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Never one to turn down a chance to help others, she also worked with the City of Florissant on improving the city’s accessibility for several years. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Rick Pryor of Largo, Florida. Surviving are her daughter, Erin Mulanax and her partner, Gary Fox, of Overland, and her son, David Mulanax and his husband, Mark Pousson, of St. Louis. Her visitation will be at Archway Memorial Chapel at 111 Taylor Rd, Hazelwood, MO 63042 on Tuesday, August 27th from 2-4pm & the service will be immediately after from 4-5pm. Those who wish to remember Ginger in a special way may make gifts in her memory to St. Louis County Library Foundation, 1412 S. Spoede Rd, St. Louis MO, 63131 or go to https://foundation.slcl.org/ways-to-give and select "Make a Donation.”

Virginia [Ginger] R. Mulanax

January 20, 1944 - August 19, 2024