Virginia Faye “Ginger” Allen, age 74, of Danville, Arkansas, passed away Monday, October 19, 2026, at Mitchells Nursing Home.
Ginger was born July 9, 1952, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, to Woodrow and Dorothy Butler Vandiver. She was a member of Danville First Baptist Church and a retired teacher whose work helped many children discover the gift of reading.
Ginger was a force to be reckoned with. She met life with determination and rarely saw an obstacle as too big to face. Although her body sometimes limited what she could do, her resolve often carried her further than anyone expected. She loved fiercely, meeting people where they were and seeing the possibilities in who they could become.
A gifted musician, Ginger played both the clarinet and piano and attended college on a band scholarship. She earned multiple degrees in education and used her intelligence, patience, and determination to help children learn and grow. Her gifts also found their deepest purpose at home, where she poured her heart into caring for her daughters.
Above all, Ginger loved her family and loved Jesus. Some of her family’s most cherished memories are of her sitting quietly, reading her Bible. Her faith was evident in the way she lived, the love she gave, and her willingness to do whatever she could for those she held dear. She showed her girls what love looks like through a lifetime of putting that love into action.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Woodrow and Dorothy Vandiver; her brother and sister-in-law, John and Gwen Vandiver; her sisters, Dottie Hayes and Stacy Vandiver; and her brothers-in-law, Gary Nichols, Larry Kennedy, and Mike Polk.
She is survived by her daughters, Amy Stanley and husband Chad, and Leah Allen; her siblings, Kay Nichols, Charlcie Kennedy, Matt Vandiver and wife Lisa, Mary Polk, and Carlye Thompson and husband Jerry; her grandchildren, Maddie Cathey and husband Trent, Gabe Stanley, Lane Coffman, Kinley Coffman, and Adeline Coffman; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on November 19, 2026, at First Baptist Church in Checotah, Oklahoma.
Arrangements are under the direction of Cornwell Funeral Home in Danville and River Valley Crematory in Dardanelle.
