Virginia (Ginger) Greenfield Randolph, passed away peacefully from natural causes on August 9, 2026, in Ventura, California. Her family and caregivers held a joyful 89th birthday party with her three weeks before her passing.
Ginger was born July 20, 1937 to Dorothy Graves Greenfield and William (Bill) Miller Greenfield at Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara, California. Ginger was joined in 1940 by brother John Taylor (Jack) and sister Janice in 1942.
Due to Bill’s profession as a geologist for Signal Oil, the family frequently relocated all over California; Ginger lived in a dozen places before the family finally settled in Long Beach when she was a teenager. Despite all the upheaval, Ginger had wonderful memories of time spent with her close-knit and supportive extended family, as Bill and Dorothy’s own siblings and their children also lived in Southern California.
While still a student at Wilson High School, Ginger met David Randolph and the two were married in Long Beach in 1955. Her “Irish twins,” as she liked to call them, soon followed: Carol Ann in 1955 and Julia Diane in 1956. The young family received much care and encouragement from grandparents, aunts and uncles during those early years.
In 1962, Dave’s job took them to Woodland Hills, where Ginger devoted her time to marriage and her girls. She became an accomplished cook and seamstress and active in Carol and Julie’s schools, but never stopped longing to return to life at the beach. When Dave and Ginger divorced in 1973, she felt free to pursue the path to an independent, fulfilling, adventurous life. She found full-time employment in early data work, in the days of punch cards and tape libraries. Simultaneously, Ginger returned to college: Pepperdine University for a B.S. in Management in 1978 and to the University of Redlands (her father’s alma mater) for an M.A. in Management in 1981.
Having honed her computer programming skills, Ginger moved to Ventura County to work for several Naval Defense Contractors. She was finally able to return to life at the ocean, moving to Hollywood Beach in 1980. Ginger shared her beach home with Liesl, her beloved red Doberman. There she became a Coast Guard certified Power Squadron sailor and an avid ocean kayaker. Professionally, she moved on to become a Senior Programmer for County of Ventura Informational Technology Services.
Throughout her life, Ginger considered Santa Barbara as her first home, and went on to devote much time there as an enthusiastic volunteer and instructor. She taught Computer Science at Santa Barbara City College, volunteered at the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden and as a grant writer for the Santa Barbara Women’s Fund. Ginger was particularly proud of becoming and serving as a docent for the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
Extensive travel rounded out Ginger’s dreams of adventure. Among her many destinations were Alaska, Hawaii, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Israel, Jordan, China, New Zealand, Australia and Tahiti. She even acted as an art history docent during a Mediterranean cruise.
Ginger was a loyal and generous friend, an adoring grandmother to Carol’s son Bret, and leaves a legacy of a full, well-lived life that inspired her daughters to persevere in reaching their own goals. Her love and support will be greatly missed. She was preceded in death by her parents Bill and Dorothy Greenfield, brother Jack Greenfield and his infant son Billy, brother- and sister-in-law Julian and Louise Randolph, and countless aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear, lifelong friends. She is survived by daughters Carol Randolph Lamb (John) and Julia Randolph; grandson Bret Bentzen; sister Janice Black (Jim;) nephews Steve and Bob Shindler, John T. Greenfield III; nieces Lisa Banks and Regina Randolph.
We are deeply grateful to Buena Vista Hospice Caregivers, particularly Lerin, Denise, Angie, and Soralla for the compassionate and thorough care that they afforded our Mom; her caregivers at Navita/Home Sweet Home Ventura tended to her daily needs with great patience and affection.
Ginger has been entrusted to the care of the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, Ventura, CA. Please visit https://everloved.com/life-of/virginia-randolph/ for updates on memorial plans, as well as opportunities to share your photos and memories about Ginger.