Edythe "Ginny" Virginia McGonegal

Edythe Virginia "Ginny" McGonegal passed away Wednesday, April 19, 2017, at home with her family, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. She was 91. At Ginny’s request there will be no services. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to K9s for Warriors or a charity of your choice. Ginny requests that you have a drink and toast her life, remembering all the good times. She has many friends and loved ones in heaven awaiting her arrival to throw the next cocktail party as only she can! Edythe Virginia McGonegal (nee Halliday/Ackert) was born in Arkansas in 1925 to Leland C. and Lydia (nee Combs) Gates. She was put up for adoption shortly after her birth due to her mother’s ill health and her father’s advanced age and health. Ginny was adopted by Herbert and Willie (nee Eagle) Halliday and brought to New York. She was given her uncle’s birthday of September 17th. Ginny does not know her real birthday. Herbert Halliday was killed in 1935 when a speeding car plowed into a VFW parade. Willie (who preferred to be called Billie) then married Ernest Leroy Ackert. He adopted both Ginny and her brother Richard but Ginny only agreed to the adoption after Roy and Billie agreed to let her drop the Edythe and go by Virginia! Ginny graduated from North Tarrytown (Sleepy Hollow) High and went on to Nursing School but a stint on the ambulance convinced her she was not nurse material. She worked for several years before and after HS graduation for Readers Digest. Ginny married Ralph Ranieri and they had a daughter in 1947. Sadly, Billie Virginia only lived 6 months, dying from complications of hydrocephalous. This marriage was annulled. Ginny later married Andrew L Short. During the early years of this marriage, she was active with the Ossining Women’s Club, becoming their youngest president. Andy and Ginny had one child, Billie-Jean, in 1953. They divorced. Ginny married Arthur E. McGonegal and loved Arthur’s son, Roger, as her own. Arthur and Ginny lived in Ossining, NY, both working for IBM. They later moved to Heritage Hills in Somers, NY. They retired from IBM and moved to Midland, Texas to be near their grandchildren, Richard and Martha Norton. Ginny was preceded in death by her parents,  Leland C. Gates, Lydia Combs Gates, Herbert R. Halliday, Ernest Ackert, and Billie Ackert; her brother, Richard Ackert; her infant daughter, Billie Virginia Ackert; and her husband, Arthur McGonegal. Ginny is survived by her children, Roger A. McGonegal (and wife, Sheila) of Newport Beach, California and Billie-Jean Norton (and husband, Randall Norton); grandchildren, Martha Tarwater (Shane), Richard Norton, Robert Norton (Karla), Dan Birbeck (Wendy), and Gina Klahm (Ben); and nine great-grandchildren. Arrangements are in care of White's Funeral Home, Weatherford, Texas.