Ginger Boatright Alford

Ginger Boatright Alford, a true firecracker of a woman and a beacon of strength, humor, and fierce love, entered into eternal rest on December 11, 2025. Born on March 1, 1937, in Dublin, Georgia, to the late David Boatright, Sr. and Mae Howell Boatright, Ginger lived a life as vibrant and unforgettable as the spark in her eyes.

Raised in Dublin, she graduated from Condor High School and began building a life rooted in hard work and community. She worked at the VA Hospital and at Fordham Drugs before making a life-changing move to Warner Robins in 1964. There, she joined Robins Air Force Base as a civil service employee—beginning a remarkable 30-year career that would cement her legacy as both talented and tough.

Ginger’s early roles included work in the Fuselage Lodge and later in the Armament Shop, where her skill and grit earned her the unforgettable nickname “Pistol Packing Mama.” During the Vietnam War, she repaired machine guns with precision and patriotism, even being featured in a newspaper article highlighting her work and her larger-than-life reputation. She also contributed to efforts that reduced the size of the machine gun known as “Puff the Magic Dragon,” and later worked in the Plastic Shop repairing aircraft nose cones. Across every position, Ginger gave her all—her determination, her hands, and her heart.

After retiring from Robins AFB, Ginger devoted her energy to helping raise her grandchildren, becoming not just a grandmother, but a guiding force, a storyteller, a protector, and a source of endless love. Her passions filled her days—crocheting beautiful creations, diving into science fiction novels, researching genealogy with curiosity and care, and painting with the creativity that colored her entire life.

Small in stature but mighty in spirit, Ginger loved to say she was “five-one and a quarter inches tall”—and she insisted that the quarter inch counted. Anyone who knew her quickly understood that although she may not have reached great height, she was a firecracker through and through: bright, bold, loud when she needed to be, and impossible to ignore.

Family was the heartbeat of Ginger’s world. Her daughter fondly called her a best friend, and Ginger’s devotion to her family was evident in every camping trip, every movie outing, every handmade gift, every story shared, and every moment she stood guard—because if there was one thing she was very good at, it was protecting the people she loved.

Ginger Boatright Alford leaves behind a legacy of courage, humor, resilience, and unshakeable love. She will be remembered as a mother, grandmother, friend, and legend—one who fixed machine guns, mended hearts, and lit up every room she entered.

Her spark will be deeply missed, but the fire she lit in the hearts of those who loved her will burn brightly for generations to come.

Her memory will forever be treasured by her children, Joanne Alford of Bonaire, GA and David Alan Alford of Atlanta, GA; grandchildren, Shauna Ginnette Alford (Chris Fletcher), Dray Curtis Alford (Kelly Johnson), Cassandra Michelle Bell (Shawn), Adrianna Josette Ward (Richard), Elizabeth Swanson (William) and Cheyenne Kent (Jack); and great-grandchildren, Logan Alford, Lorie-Anne Fletcher, Lillian Majka, Olen Bell, Maya Alford, Mia Ward, Richard Ward, Avaya Ward, Jasmine Kent, Vada Allen, and Jameson Kent; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation with family and friends will be held on Monday, December 15, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at McCullough Funeral Home, with a funeral service immediately following in the chapel. Afterward, will be laid to rest privately at Magnolia Park Mausoleum.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests memorial donations be given in memory of Ginger Alford to a charity of your choice.

For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live at https://www.youtube.com/@McCulloughFuneralHome via the McCullough Funeral Home’s YouTube page.

Go to www.mcculloughfh.com to sign the Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.