Obituaries

Geneva (“Ginger”) Geraldine Jennings (née Medina) died peacefully in the company and care of her beloved husband on April 18th 2019 in San Jose, CA at the age of 75.

Ginger is survived by her husband Olin (“Lary”), her seven children (Olin, Cecilia, Rosalie, Matthew, Lilian, Thomas, and Amy), thirteen grandchildren (Alicia, Alex, Isabella, Jazel, Devlin, Natalie, Anthony, Faith, Henna, Tristan, Celeste, Leanna, Juliana, and Helena), and great granddaughter (Evelyn). She is preceded in death by her mother Della, father Odocio, and younger brother Ken.

Geneva, known to friends and family as Ginger, was born on April 1, 1944 in Gilman, CO to Cecilia Adela Medina (Rivera) and Jose Odocio Medina. She grew up in Red Cliff and Leadville in Colorado, and spent some time in Rainsville, NM. She eventually graduated from South High School in Pueblo, CO. Following high school, Ginger moved to the Los Angeles area with her mother and brother.

In the summer of 1966, she met the love of her life, Lary Jennings, who was visiting his mother in Sherman Oaks while stationed in San Diego, CA as a member of the United States Navy. Six weeks later, they were married at the Little Brown Church in the Valley in Studio City, CA.

Over the next few years, the couple would move several times while Lary finished his duties with the Navy and earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Idaho. Along the way, they welcomed three children (Olin, Cecilia, and Rosalie) before moving to Newark, CA where they would settle and have four more children (Matthew, Lilian, Thomas, and Amy). Lary and Ginger truly loved one another and demonstrated the commitment and dedication needed to build a successful, Christ-centered marriage. They were actively involved with Marriage Encounter through St. Edward’s Catholic Church in Newark for many years. Rumor has it, they were also known to be quite a force in their Tuesday night bowling league.

Ginger’s greatest passion was raising her children. She was tirelessly devoted to their growth and could be found, on any given day, volunteering her time in their classrooms, acting as the team mom for baseball or soccer, driving them to practices and performances, and teaching their CCD classes at St. Edward’s. Through these activities, she also gained a reputation for being a mother-figure to many of the children she interacted with. It was not uncommon to find her welcoming, feeding, correcting, encouraging, giving rides to or praying for those who were not her children, but just happened to be in her orbit. She especially loved the outcast or those who were not always included or cared for. She saw God in everyone.

A funeral mass is scheduled for 10:30AM on Friday May 24th at St. Edward’s Catholic Church in Newark. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Ginger’s life and are encouraged to wear yellow (her favorite color). A party to further commemorate her life will take place the following day at the Newark Community Center Park from 10:30 AM-2:30 PM. We will eat, talk, laugh, tell stories, and just enjoy each other’s company in her honor.

In lieu of flowers, reach out to someone in need and help them. Buy them lunch, help pay a bill, give them a ride...just love them. Ginger would have wanted that.