Kumari Shreya
‘Born in Synanon’ provides a unique perspective into the working of the group called Synanon through the eyes of its former members as well as those who were born within the environment. Among the various figures discussed in the Paramount+ series, Regina “Ginny” Dederich takes a special place owing to her marriage to Charles “Chuck” Dederich, the Founder of Synanon. The circumstances of their marriage, combined with the role played by Ginny, have now made the world curious about her recent demise.
Who is Ginny Dederich?
Born on October 13, 1943, Ginny Dederich was the oldest daughter of Florence (Shapiro) and Leonard Schorin. She rose to prominence in Synanon following the death of Chuck Dederich’s third wife, Betty Dederich, on April 19, 1977. Not long after the passing of the woman who had led the organization for so long, Chuck announced that he was accepting applications for a new wife. Amongst the six candidates who applied, the Founder chose Ginny, who was 31 years old at the time. His recent marriage gave Chuck the idea of asking everyone in the Synanon to change spouses every three years.
Before being a part of Synanon, Gunny had been a diligent student. From 1961 to 1965, she studied at Brandeis University while majoring in Psychology, with a minor degree in Education. This was followed by her joining Harvard Graduate School of Education and pursuing her Master of Education degree until 1966. She then became a part of Synanon’s San Francisco, California, branch in 1968 as a teacher, prior to which she was an elementary school teacher.
Comparatively, Ginny’s role within Synanon as a married woman was quite different. Her youthful looks and grace earned her the admiration of many, with many members considering her an ideal to be followed. Throughout Chuck’s legal troubles following the assassination attempt on Paul Morantz on October 10, 1978, Ginny remained by her side as a dutiful wife. When Chuck’s health started to fail following a lung cancer diagnosis, Ginny remained by his side and took care of him to the best of her abilities. In fact, it was he who disclosed to the world that the Synanon Founder had passed away due to cardiorespiratory failure on February 28, 1997.
How Did Ginny Dederich Die?
It seems like Ginny Dederich decided to earnestly reenter the workforce following the death of her husband, Chuck Dederich. Based in Visalia, California, she had her own consulting business, which she started in January 1997, shortly before her husband’s death. She had been serving as a Consultant to others and had not had any children with Chuck. Additionally, Ginny was also active in the area of fundraising and was immensely proud of some of her more impressive accomplishments.
Some of Ginny’s projects include helping ImagineU Children’s Museum in gaining a grant of $100 thousand during the establishment’s initial days. She was also responsible for helping obtain the most prominent corporate sponsor for Visalia’s St. Patrick’s Day. Ginny had also been working on a writing project called “Book for Caregivers,” which was based on her own experience of helping take care of her husband for well over a decade.
Following Chuck’s death, Ginny had found happiness in the companionship of Cliff Bressler. She also enjoyed much love from her sisters, Marilyn Schorin and Ellie MacMullin. However, on October 13, 1943, Ginny passed away, much to the grief of those who had come to love and cherish her. She was adored by not only her relatives and friends but also some of the former members of Synanon. The educator was buried in the Beth Shalom Cemetery next to her mother, Florence Schorin.
Read More: How Did Chuck Dederich Die?
