Gina Lazenby

It took me a long time to be able to write my memorial to Gina. Her death was such a shock and I am heart-broken to not be able to see her again on my trips to Alabama. There is so much I still had to say to her. I loved her very much.

Gina Cheri Lazenby

October 4, 1960 - October 26, 2025

Gina and Rob

I will never be ready to have my first cousin Gina gone from our lives. I don't even know how to explain why I felt so close to her. When we were children, we lived on opposite sides of this country. I think my parents only took us on the long trip to Alabama a few times to visit my mom's side of the family. I don't even remember Gina from then because she was so much younger than me.

I don't even know when we first interacted as adults I know it was after my father's death and probably after my mom bought a river cabin next to Gina's parents in Alabama. We would all go to Alabama to see our relatives. She was still very young then. She and my sister Jeanne became close later.

Later, I remember Gina living in the basement apartment in her parents' home. She had a friend Liz, I think that was her name, that she was giving medical treatment in that apartment. Seems it was dialysis but maybe not. I just remember thinking what a thoughtful person she was to do this for her friend. That is really what stuck with me.

In later years, our bond grew as we spent more time together on visits. I felt very close to Gina even though we didn't spend a lot of time together. We would go to lunch, sometimes with my mom and others. Gina, sometimes with Rob, would visit at my mom's. Once she brought family albums and photos to sort through. We would text and sometimes call. She was one of the family that loved learning about our history and would often comment, text or call about something I had posted on FaceBook in our family group. She took a DNA test for me to help with genealogy.

Gina was full of love for others and love of life. In her earlier years, she was quite the free spirit, shall we say, with lots of adventures. I know she had so many stories to tell, and we would always joke about the book we could write. Truthfully, I think it would have been mostly her stories.

She had a large family that she adored and always, always, always came first in her life. As it should have been. There was nothing she loved more than spending time with people she loved whether her children and their families, her husband, her extended family, or her friends. When you were with her, you felt the love.

As a nurse, she cared for an extended "family" of patients. She was very proud that she was one of the first to fly into New Orleans after Katrina to help evacuate patients. Gina was fearless. She even had a story about overcoming fear, involving her father's words to her and facing a frightening bicycle ride down a very steep hill when young.

Gina -piano recital

She knew how to play the piano, something I always wanted to learn as a child. She loved her little dogs as much as her mother, aunt Jeanne, did. She became a beekeeper and distributed her honey to friends and relatives. There were so many other parts of her life that I wish I knew. She was never afraid to try something new.

Gina was like all of us and did have some challenges in her life. She overcame them, working hard to be the person she wanted to be. We loved her unconditionally, and she loved us unconditionally.

Nursing Grad

Just the week of her death, I had been searching on newspapers.com for articles about our family. I suddenly thought of looking for Gina to see if I could find anything that I could share with her. I found that she was on the dean's list at Jefferson State Junior College and a scholarship recipient of Carraway School of Nursing. I found the announcement of her first marriage to Ross Sanders. They took a wedding cruise to the Bahamas. She did love the ocean and beach! She and her husband Rob got married at Grayton Beach in Florida in 2006. Their cake was a beautiful masterpiece with shells on it. I will have to look for the photo she sent me.

I never got to share these findings with her. I will never be able to spend more time with her, sharing our family stories. While this makes me immensely sad, the memories of her also make me so happy that I got to spend quality time with her, forming an unbreakable bond.

I do know that she will be missed by so many. None of us were ready for her sudden departure. I am happy that I do know that she knew I loved her and that so many loved her. My heart goes out to her family. May they find comfort in her memory and of all the love she shared with them and the rest of us.

By Jamie Nov 18 2025

Her Obituary:

Gina Cheri Lazenby Lindsey Grantham was born on October 4, 1960, in Birmingham, Alabama and passed away in her sleep on October 26, 2025, in McCalla, Alabama. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, and a woman of deep faith. She is survived by her beloved husband (Robert Grantham of McCalla, Alabama), her eight children (and their spouses), along with 12 incredible grandchildren. She came into the marriage with five wonderful children. Her eldest son, Kristopher Lindsey (wife Dianna and children Annabelle, Charlotte, and Elizabeth), was fathered by her first husband (Ross Sanders). Four children were fathered by her second husband (James Lindsey): Zachary Lindsey (wife Ginger and children Rowan and Joie), Jessica Holbein (husband Adam and son Aiden), Mollie Helf (husband John and daughter Francie), and Ben Lindsey. She gained three wonderful children in marriage to Robert: Aaron Lynch (husband Jason and children Ada and Murphy), Amanda Sekulow (husband Logan and children Ryker, Georgia and Golda), and Austin Grantham (wife Hope).

Gina was preceded in death by her parents, Jeanne Thomas Lazenby and Jesse Gordon Lazenby, and her grandparents, Anne Watson Thomas, Paul Thomas, Florence Helms Lazenby, and M. Lafayette Lazenby. She is also survived by her sister Daryl Lazenby Pitts (daughter Jan), brother Rik Lazenby (wife Doris and children Renae, Jennifer, and Natalie with their families), and numerous cousins who will deeply miss her presence in their lives.

Gina graduated from Jess Lanier High School in Bessemer, AL, and Jefferson State School of Nursing in Birmingham. She spent many years giving care and comfort in Birmingham hospitals, and her compassion and dedication touched countless lives throughout her nursing career. Gina’s faith in God and her Lord Jesus Christ was central to her life. She believed deeply in forgiveness and compassion, often sharing the wisdom of John 8:7: “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Her own life experiences gave her profound empathy for others facing their struggles, and she approached everyone with grace, understanding, and love.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to donate to a dog shelter of your choice or the mission fund at Rock Mountain Lakes Baptist.

Celebration of Life was held at Rock Mountain Lakes Baptist on November 8, 2025, at 2 p.m. CST.

Published by AL.com (Birmingham) from Nov 5 to Nov 6, 2025.