Veteran Jewelry Writer Ginger Dick Dies at 62

Debbie Yonick, Contributing Editor -- JCK Online, 2/19/2008 2:40:00 PM

Longtime gem and jewelry writer Ginger Dick died Feb. 10 at the age of 62, from heart-related issues.

Born Beverly Barnes, she is best known in the industry by her pen name, Ginger Dick. Her byline regularly appeared in American Jewelry Manufacturer (now MJSA Journal), Jewellery International, Diamonds International, JewelSiam, Accent, Diamontaire, New York Diamonds, National Jeweler, The Goldsmith, Colored Stone, Jewelers’ Quarterly (JQ), and Southern Jewelry News.

Her involvement in the gem and jewelry industry began with freelance articles written for Canadian Jeweller magazine, while she was still pursuing a career in advertising and marketing. Her love for the gem and jewelry industry blossomed, and, following a move to New York City in 1982 she began freelancing for the other publications and working as a marketing consultant for a variety of businesses in the trade, as well as covering U.S. jewelry trends for Canadian Jeweller. In 1990, she received an A.A.S. degree in jewelry design, summa cum laude, from the Fashion Institute of Technology. While at FIT, she conducted a one-woman show of historic jewelry renderings, a rare endeavor for a student, and, during the 1990s, focused her writing and marketing skills solely on gems and jewelry, with a particular passion for the lapidary artists of North America.

Dick was a recipient of the Women’s Jewelry Association Award for Excellence in Editorial in 1993, and wrote a 10-part training series for Jewelers of America, titled, "The Professional Jeweler: Entry-Level Training for the New Hire," released in 1995. She also was a frequent seminar speaker and lecturer, although in recent years, her focus shifted to art and the study of apparel design, quilting, and embellishment. At the time of her death, she was working on a series of undersea landscapes with extravagantly beaded and embellished fish and coral reefs.

Dick is survived by her children, Serena Dick and Brendan Christopher, and her sister, Jane Holcombe. For friends and colleagues, the family is hosting a celebration-of-life gathering at the home of Jane Holcombe in Lower Manhattan on March 9 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and March 10 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. For details email janeholcom@aol.com or call 212-385-4016. Friends are asked to share their favorite Ginger stories over refreshments while viewing some of her artwork. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation be made in Ginger’s memory to the Center Against Domestic Violence, 25 Chapel Street, Suite 904, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201 (www.centeragainstdv.org).