WEBSTER - Virginia M. “Ginger” (Cournoyer) Gatzke, 84, died Monday, March 30, 2026 in Day Kimball Hospital, Putnam, after a short illness. Her husband of 59 years, Ernest G. “Ernie” Gatzke, died in 2020.
She leaves 2 daughters, Robin M. Begreen and her husband Paul of Scottsdale, AZ, and Susan J. Borski and her partner Christy Atsales of Danielson, CT; 4 grandchildren, Jason Borski and his companion Crystal Lewis of Dudley, James Borski and his companion Missy Campbell of Quinebaug, CT, Brittany Gould and her partner Harley Kyger of Phoenix, AZ, and Christian Gould and his wife Miranda Skaradowski-Gould of Woodstock, CT; 2 great-grandchildren, Alexys and Caleb; 2 great great-grandsons, Sebastian and Beckham; 2 sisters, Annette Hamilton and her husband Kenneth of Woodstock, CT, and Yvette Alexander of North Grosvenordale, CT; 2 sisters-in-law, Linda Cournoyer of Webster and Patricia Toukonen of Florida; 2 brothers-in-law, Robert Gatzke of Webster and Ronald Stachelek of Dudley; a great-niece and caregiver, Ashley Johnson of Plainfield, CT; 2 goddaughters, Jennifer Gatzke of Webster and Christine Auger of Danielson, CT; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brothers Richard and Ovide Cournoyer, by her sisters Dorothy Thibodeau and Julie Stachelek, and by her brother-in-law Bruce Alexander.
She was born on April 29, 1941 in Webster, a daughter of Ovide and Annabelle (Robinson) Cournoyer and lived here most of her life before moving to North Grosvenordale, CT in 2022.
Mrs. Gatzke first worked in the eyeglass production department at the American Optical Company in Southbridge for 6 years. She then was an assembler at B & W Footwear Company for 15 years and after a factory worker at Stevens Linen Associates in Dudley for 16 years. She retired as a server in the Nichols College cafeteria in Dudley in 2020.
She was a member of Saint Louis Church. She coached in the Lassie League when her daughters were growing up. She liked watching television, eating out, and vacation trips to Cape Cod, Old Orchard Beach, and Brenton Point State Park in Newport, RI. She also enjoyed playing bingo and going shopping with her sister Annette.
Ginger was dedicated to her family all her life. She attended all her daughters’ and grandchildren’s school and sporting events. She loved the autumn season with trips to the Woodstock Fair with her husband Ernie and the family. Her favorite holiday was Christmas: she looked forward to decorating the tree, setting up the Christmas village and spending Christmas Eve with her loved ones.
The funeral will be held on Friday, April 10, from Scanlon Funeral Service, 38 East Main Street, with a Mass at 10:00 AM in Saint Louis Church, 14 Lake Street. Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 9, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM in the funeral home. Donations in her memory may be made to either Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to the Jimmy Fund, 10 Brookline Place, Boston, MA 02445.