Ginger’s family lost their beloved mom, wife, aunt and friend on Jan. 4, 2023 at the age of 77 following a sudden, rapid illness.
Ginger was born on Dec. 6, 1945 in Portland to Della and Edgar Carner.
Virginia “Ginger” Maxine Carner Seibel lived a deeply loved life. As a strong, protective, generous woman who provided comfort, love and care to her family and friends, she never asked for anything in return.
As a young girl she relocated to Hermiston with her family, where she grew up and graduated from Hermiston High School in 1965. During and after high school she grew into a talented florist, trained by her mother’s dear friend, Artis. In March 1966 she married her husband, Gary Seibel, and they settled and lived in Hermiston until October 2022. As a family they lived off Minnehaha Road for more than 20 years, raising their three children, Michelle, Jennifer and Trent in an environment where they could roam, play and grow up outside, doing all of the things they loved.
Ginger was a devoted sister who protected and cared for her brother Donnie all throughout his life. She was Donnie’s hero. He admired her, as did his wife, Gail – they both loved her very much. As a mother, she adored her children and raised them with integrity, loyalty, compassion and unconditional love, instilling in them high standards, confidence and strength necessary to pursue their lives with courage and grit. They all exemplify her values and traits in individual ways and have achieved wonderful life successes that she was so very proud of.
Ginger was an extremely hard worker. She and Gary owned and operated businesses in Hermiston over the course of their working years. Ginger maintained the operations and finances of their two businesses, Let’er Buck Trucking and the Cozy Corner Tavern. In trucking and the tavern, she developed many community friendships with people that she treated like family. In 1985
she began working at Safeway in Hermiston. First she served at the seafood counter, then as a merchandiser, and finally completed her career in 2003 as the floral manager. Her care and devotion shown to her customers was amazing. She never met a stranger, never forgot a face or name, and always had a warm smile and loving hug for everyone she encountered. As a florist and community member, she helped countless families in Umatilla County celebrate loving unions with wedding flowers and honor the loss of loved ones though sprays and memorial arrangements; designed celebratory center pieces for special occasions and holidays; decorated wrists and lapels for high school prom and dance couples; and adorned cowboy hats with flower crowns for local parade royalty.
Ginger was involved in community service organizations throughout her life, starting as a Job’s Daughter during her teenage years that led to her involvement and membership in the Emblem Club (Elks), Eagles Club and Moose Lodge. She also served as an adult leader for her daughters’ Bluebird and Campfire troops.
For many years on Thursday nights, Ginger could be found at the Hermiston Bowling Alley. She bowled with friends on local teams and was often recruited to substitute for members of other teams who had to miss their weekly games. Her kids used to love going to the bowling alley with her and picking up A&W for dinner along the way. Camping and hunting was also a fun part of Ginger’s life. She was the best camping mom/wife ever. Whether it was at a camper club rally or in hunting camp, she cooked delicious meals in the camp trailer just like it was her home kitchen. She was even known to cook Thanksgiving dinner in the camp trailer or in the cabin at the gold mine. Some of her children’s best memories are from the many camping and hunting trips that they experienced as a family.
During her retirement years, Ginger liked to watch the Seattle Seahawks, the Oregon Ducks, and golf on Sundays. She looked forward to birthday lunches and visits with her girlfriends and cherished those friendships. She also found
some of her favorite pastimes with Gary and their friends while traveling in their motorhomes to destinations up and down the Pacific coast, Arizona and California. During those trips, she loved crabbing, clamming and relaxing in mountain campgrounds. In her later retirement years, she took pride in serving as Gary’s caregiver, supporting him with his health challenges that necessitated her help.
What she loved the most about retirement was being with her grandchildren, Sydney, Sami, Jake, Hannah and Cameron. Whether it was watching softball or little league baseball games, junior and high school rodeos, school plays or other youth activities, she was their biggest fan. When she could, she would be in the stands cheering them on, and win or lose she always told them how proud of them she was with her big loving hugs. When she wasn’t physically at their activities, she followed their successes from a distance on softball apps, rodeo webpages and many, many text exchanges with the family. Her grandchildren were her entire world.
She is survived by her husband, Gary Seibel; three children, Michelle Steagall (Rocky Steagall, husband), Jennifer Flanagan (Steve Flanagan, husband) and Trent Seibel; and five grandchildren, Sydney Flanagan (25), Hannah Steagall (22), Sami Flanagan (19), Cameron Steagall (18) and Jake Flanagan (17).
Ginger was preceded in death by her parents, Della and Edgar Carner; her brother, Donald “Donnie” Carner (Gail Carner, wife); as well as her close-knit aunts and uncles, Helen Ward, Vernon Moe and Virginia Trembly (her namesake).
Her children and grandchildren are heartbroken by the loss of their mom and Nana. They all love her and miss her dearly and invite her friends, family, colleagues and community acquaintances to join them on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at the Maxwell Center in Hermiston for a celebration of her life. The venue will open at 2:30 p.m. for time to connect with the family, with the ceremony beginning at 3 p.m.
A reception with hors d’oeuvres and drinks will take place immediately following the ceremony. A time to share fond, loving and fun stories or sentiments about Ginger will be included in the ceremony, and her family is looking forward to hearing your memories.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
I had the pleasure of knowing Ginger Seibel for many years. She was a great friend and an amazing person. She will be deeply missed and remembered fondly by all who knew her. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family during this difficult time.