Leslie ‘Les’ Winter, 89, of Arlington
Leslie “Les” Winter, 89, of Arlington, died peacefully while surrounded by his loved ones on Monday, July 11, 2016, at the Marie Steiner Kelting Hospice Home in Chaska. He fought a short but courageous battle with cancer while residing there.
Funeral services were held Friday, July 15, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Green Isle with the Rev. Eric Rapp officiating. Corrine Powers was the organist and Polly Rapp sang “On Eagle’s Wings.” Congregational hymns were “How Great Thou Art,” “Take My Hand and Lead Me” and “Just As I Am.”
Grandsons serving as casket bearers were Charles Winter, Jeffrey Jahr, Troy Brueggemeier, Joel Knight, Jason Brueggemeier and Chad Schroeder. Honorary casket bearers were his great-grandchildren. Granddaughters serving as casket bearers were Jennifer Winter, Jaclyn Rademacher, Jessica Nagel, Brittany Brueggemeier and Danielle Mathias.
Leslie Winter was born June 13, 1927, in New Auburn Township, Sibley County, to August and Esther (Miller) Winter. He was baptized July 3, 1927, at Zion Lutheran Church, New Auburn Township, by the Rev. Edwin Schlacktenhufen. He was confirmed April 16, 1941, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Auburn by the Rev. Hans Werner. He attended German parochial school in New Auburn and also Sibley County District 34 public schools. He was united in marriage to Elvera Schilling on Sept. 15, 1950, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Green Isle by the Rev. R. Arndt. The couple was blessed with four children, Charles, Sharon, Katherine and Susan.
In 1955, Mr. Winter worked at Oscar Roberts, delivering concrete blocks, then started a milk route for Oak Grove Dairy in Norwood, which he ran from 1956 until March 1983, when he sold it. He worked in road construction for William Mueller and Sons of Hamburg between 1983 and 1995, at which time he retired. He enjoyed his retirement by doing lots of traveling, fishing, dancing and spending time with his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other family and friends. He also enjoyed having the entire family over for special occasions and going to activities of the grandchildren and the great-grandchildren. He enjoyed cooking and baking, especially making chocolate chip cookies for his family. He also loved his John Deere toys.
Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Elvera Winter of Arlington; daughters, Sharon (Allan) Jahr of Pemberton, Katherine (Virgil) Brueggemeier of New Prague and Susan (Tony) Mathias of Waterville; daughter-in-law, Debbra (Dick) Schroeder of Belle Plaine; 14 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; siblings, Marlys (Russ) Vilhauer of Litchfield, Dorothy Bettcher of Lester Prairie and Donna (Jerald) Gutzmer of Glencoe; sisters-in-law, Verna Winter of Arlington, Elaine Winter of St. Cloud and Sylvia Luehrs of Glencoe; brother-in-law, Alloyd (Elaine) Schilling of Mankato; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; parents-in-law, Henry and Frieda Schilling; son, Charles Winter; grandsons, Shawn Knight and Travis Brueggemeier; siblings, Harry and Leonard Winter and Velma Wendorff; siblings-in-law, Virgil Schilling, Lester Karg, Lowell Wendorff, Marvin Luehrs, Harvey Schilling, Ruth Schilling, Muriel Schilling and Ewald Bettcher; nephew, Kenneth Wendorff; and niece, Muriel Parpart.
Arrangements were with the Kolden Funeral Home in Arlington.
