Book excerpt: Born in 1948 to Helen and Walter Kramer, Ginger is the second of three daughters. Her given name is Jeanette, but she was nicknamed Ginger by a family friend because of her ginger colored hair. Originally from Jamaica, NY, the family moved to Orange, NJ in 1957. A brother, John, was adopted by the family in 1961. Her father died in 1975, and her mother in 1998. Her older sister, Patricia, died in 2000. Younger sister, Kathy, is married with two children and now lives in Minnesota. Ginger married (Eric) Charlie Ericsson in 1976. They have raised four children (Christopher, Heather, Amber and Charlie), and are grandparents of 11 (Melissa, Robby, Jessica, Tommy, Vicki, Isabella, Lilli, Katie, Veronica, Lindsey and Brooke). They live in Williamsburg, Va.