Virginia Bottone Burggraf

Born September 4, 1942

Entered Eternal Life December 25, 2025

Virginia Bottone Burggraf, known to many as Ginger, was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 4, 1942. She graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, New York. She attended the College of New Rochelle and graduated from Cornell University New York Hospital School of Nursing (BSN), Seton Hall University (MSN), and Louisiana State University Medical Center School of Nursing (DNS). Dr. Burggraf had a successful sixty year career in nursing, starting at the bedside and spent the majority of her career in geriatric nursing education. She served as a faculty member at LSU, a nurse educator at the Veteran’s Administration, New Orleans, Louisiana, and a policy analyst and grant writer for the American Nurses Association in Washington, D.C. She moved to Radford, Virginia in 2001 where she served as the Marcella J. Griggs Endowed Chair in Gerontological Nursing, and the coordinator of the DNP Graduate Program at Radford University, a co-educational, comprehensive public institution with a highly diverse curriculum, where she was responsible for coordinating the graduate program, expanding curriculum, teaching, mentoring faculty, and supporting students. She brought in over one million dollars in nursing grants to support gerontological nursing and traineeship funds for graduate nursing students. Dr. Burggraf authored over seventy-five nursing publications and three text books. She held positions on many professional journals as an editorial reviewer and wrote a monthly consumer column, Ginger Says for Senior News. Dr. Burggraf was an active member of several professional organizations including the Virginia Nurses Association, ANA Congress of Nursing Practice and Economics, a fellow in the Academy of Nursing, and the National Gerontological Nursing Association. Dr. Burggraf holds many awards for her work. Her publications, books, and awards are cataloged at the Eleanor Crowder Bjoring Center for Nursing Historical Inquiry at the University of Virginia. Professionally, she most wanted to be remembered as a nurse who tried to make a difference.

Ginger was a devout Catholic and very active in her local parishes. She was a daily communicant until shortly before her death. She most recently served as Sacristan at St. Jude in Radford, Virginia. She was a religious secular in the Order of Discalced Carmelite (OCDS).

Ginger cherished family and wished to be remembered as a mother and grandmother who truly loved her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She was affectionately called “Grandma the Great.” She is preceded in death by her husband Thomas Francis Burggraf, her two children Patricia Ann Burggraf and Kevin Michael Burggraf, her grandson Graham Thomas Jordan, and her parents, Philomena Signore Bottone and Angelo Bottone. She is survived by her children, Mary Ellen B. Jordan (Garry), Thomas F. Burggraf, Jr. (Cherie), Elizabeth B. Lundregan (Bill), and Karen B. Baltich (Dan), grandchildren Thomas F. Burggraf III (Jessica), McKay Jordan Nally (Daniel), Quincy Burggraf Cutrona (Tylor), Genevieve Jordan Baumbach (Will), William Joseph Lundregan V, Mary Elizabeth Lundregan, Patrick Thomas Lundregan, and Megan Jane Lundregan, great grandchildren Evangeline Wood Burggraf, Lucy Diane Burggraf, Thea Frances Burggraf, Sophia Grace Burggraf, Tylor Vincent Cutrona, Shepherd Thomas Cutrona, Stella Franklin Cutrona, Margot Virginia Nally, Estelle Mary Nally, and Jeffrey William Baumbach III. She is also survived by her sister Esther Bottone LaPorta (Bob) and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, February 7 at 10:00 am at Grace Funeral Home in Covington, Louisiana with visitation from 9:00 – 10:00 am. Interment will be private.

The family would like to thank the staff of St. Anthony’s Gardens and Harmony Hospice for the care and love they provided to Ginger in her final months and days.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Burggraf Samaritan Fund at the New River Valley Area on Aging, 44 3rd St NW, Pulaski, Virginia 24301 or a Catholic Church or charity of your choice.