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GRANDDAUGHTER OF PROMINENT BUSINESSMAN, CLINT W. MURCHISON SR., VIRGINIA “GINGER” MURCHISON WAS BORN IN DALLAS TO JOHN DABNEY (1921-1979) AND LUCILLE HUGHES “LUPE” (GANNON) (1925-2001) MURCHISON. GINGER ATTENDED SCHOOL IN DALLAS AND AT HENDERSON COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE (NOW TRINITY VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE) IN ATHENS. IN THE EARLY 1980s, SHE MOVED TO ATHENS WHERE SHE SPENT TIME ON RANCHES AND PROPERTIES OWNED BY HER FAMILY. GINGER PURCHASED THE MAJORITY OF STOCK IN THE FRIST NATIONAL BANK OF ATHENS, ESTABLISHED BY HER GRANDFATHER IN 1890, AS WELL AS A LARGE RANCH OUTSIDE OF TOWN.
IN 1993, SHE ESTABLISHED THE GINGER MURCHISON FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND IMPROVE THE CITY OF ATHENS. SHE CONTRIBUTED GIFTS TO THE CLINT W. MURCHISON LIBRARY THAT RESULTED IN THE CHILDREN’S WING, AND DONATED FUNDS TO RESTORE AND REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN ATHENS. MANY LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS BENEFITED FROM GINGER’S PHILANTHROPY, INCLUDING THE ATHENS CITY HALL, CAIN CENTER, KEEP ATHENS BEAUTIFUL, EAST TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, ATHENS LITTLE THEATER AND TROOP 343 OF THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA. HER CONTRIBUTIONS EXPANDED TO NATIONAL AND GLOBAL CHARITIES SUCH AS UNITED WAY, CASA, SALVATION ARMY, MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION AND MANY MORE. WITH HER PASSION FOR EDUCATION, GINGER DONATED TO ATHENS ISD FOR COMPUTER LABS AND TO IMPROVE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY. HER GIFTS TO TRINITY VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN 1999 RESULTED IN THE GINGER MURCHISON LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER. SHE PASSED AWAY IN 2001 FROM INJURIES SUSTAINED IN A CAR ACCIDENT BUT THROUGH THE GINGER MURCHISON FOUNDATION, HER LEGACY CONTINUES TO INFLUENCE ATHENS AND BEYOND.
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