Shirley Ann Winkler

Shirley Ann Winkler died peacefully January 14, 2021, at Morningside Assisted Living at the age of 95. Born in Potosi, Wisconsin on April 22, 1925, to Clarence and Esther (Wieland) Turner, she started life on a small family farm where they grew their own food, made their own clothes, and raised, hunted, and trapped animals. If childhood can be held responsible for much of an adult’s take on life, Shirley’s lifelong sense of reality and clear-eyed approach to the world was born on that small farm. She graduated from Potosi High School in 1942 and was united in marriage to Donald “Jiggs” Winkler on October 2, 1945. Together, they raised five children and farmed for over 38 years. She was known to all around her as a steadfast, loyal mother and friend, and as someone who cared and was able to find many moments of faith and humor in life’s twists and turns.

Always an active person, Shirley continued her love for gardening, canning, swimming, and socializing with friends and family after retiring from the family farm in 1983. She especially enjoyed playing cards with friends, going dancing with Jiggs, and cooking big meals for her family. Shirley was a devoted member of St. Clement Catholic Church and volunteered at the Grant Regional Hospital Gift Shop and the Grant County Thrift Store for many years. She loved to read, watch Wheel of Fortune, and spend lots of time talking to all her loved ones on the phone. Right up until the final days of her life, in possession of a sharp mind, Shirley went right on commenting on people, news, and politics in her forthright way, usually with grace but with a touch of vinegar when she thought it was warranted. Her love and devotion to her family was unsurpassed, and nothing pleased her more than spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her children: David (Sue) Winkler of Waukesha, WI; Jack Winkler of Lancaster, WI; Jane (Ken) Klaas of Lancaster, WI; Mary (Perry) Oates of Cambridge, WI; and Jay (Ellen) Winkler of Lancaster, WI; 10 grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren.

Gone before her is her husband of 61 years, Donald “Jiggs” Winkler; her granddaughter, Chelsie Winkler; her sister, Marcella Cornell; and her parents, Clarence and Esther (Wieland) Turner.

A private family Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Clement Catholic Church in Lancaster on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. with Fr. William Vernon officiating. The Mass will be live streamed on Martin Schwartz Funeral Home & Crematory's Facebook page. The family members in attendance are asked to wear a mask, practice social distancing and refrain from physical condolences. Burial will be at St. Clement Cemetery. In lieu of plants and flowers, a Shirley A. Winkler Memorial Fund has been established. Martin Schwartz Funeral Home & Crematory in Lancaster is assisting the family.