Jay W. Winter

Jay W. Winter, of Oregon, Wisconsin, died unexpectedly on Friday, Oct. 7, 2011 at the age of 84 after the recent diagnosis of cancer. Jay (“J.B.”) was born on February 1, 1927 to Evangeline T. Winter, in Plymouth, Wisconsin. While he grew up during the depression, he recalled his childhood fondly, having enjoyed the company of a three-generation household. Jay served in the army during the post-war occupancy of Germany following World War II. This experience later inspired Jay to study the history of World War II at length and led to many hours of conversations about the war with his family. Jay was a gifted athlete, and while in the army he was a member of the track and field and ski-jumping teams. After returning to the United States, Jay completed his education at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, which he coined “the hill”, becoming the first member of his family to receive a college education. He received his undergraduate degree in 1951, followed by his law degree in 1955. Jay was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, where he made many life-long friendships. Two of his closest friends, Sam Soffa and Craig “Skip” Conway survive him. Jay met and married Rosemary D. Edwards in 1956, and settled in Oregon, Wisconsin. He and Rosemary raised two children, Kathleen and Nancy. Any one who knew Jay knew him to be a man of principle. He built a successful law practice by developing long-term relationships with clients, many of whom he considered friends. Jay’s daughter Nancy also received her law degree and joined Winter Law Office in 1990. Margaret (“Margie”) Prusynski has worked for Jay for over 30 years, and Jay considered her to be not just a valued employee, but a close friend. Jay was active in the Oregon community and served as an officer and director of the Oregon Area Council on Aging/Oregon Area Senior Center. He was one of the founding members of the Oregon Golf Tour, a group of men who golfed on “holy Thursdays” and toured to Hayward in the summer, and Mississippi in the winter. His good friends, David “Davie” Mandt and Roger Lawry, are surviving members of the original tour. Younger men who golfed with Jay had no idea of his true age and remarked at how well he played with his outdated “blade” golf clubs. Jay was an avid sports fan and was also very supportive of his children’s athletic endeavors. He took his two young daughters to the second-coldest Packer game in history; he later often commented: “how could I have done that to my girls?” Jay enjoyed his last live football game at the age of 83, again with his two daughters. Jay put family first. He was very supportive of his grandchildren, Patrick and Philipp, and took great personal pride in their academic achievements. Patrick lived with “Grandpa” for a year and they developed a close relationship, enjoying long conversations about school, philosophy, psychology and World War II. Jay never lost his need to be active, and was so almost until his death. Retirement was not a word he recognized, and he couldn’t understand what retired people did “with all of their time”. Jay was preceded in death by his mother, Evangeline, and his wife, Rosemary. Jay is survived by his daughters, Kathleen (Peter) Lehmann and Nancy (David Redwine) Winter, and by his two grandsons, Patrick A. Lehmann and Philipp M. Lehmann. He is also survived by his dear friend, Bernietta Dominick, with whom he shared a large part of the last six years of his life, and by Sam and JoAnne (“Annie Buss”) Soffa, who Jay considered to be part of his family. We will always miss our young-at-heart, always active and supportive father and grandfather, a man who always put more emphasis on actions than on words. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2011 at Gunderson Oregon Funeral Home, 1150 S. Park Street, Oregon, Wisconsin, and on Friday, October 14, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Mother of Consolation Church in Oregon, Wisconsin prior to the funeral service. A mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Mother of Consolation Church, 651 N. Main Street, Oregon, WI 53575 at 11:00 a.m. on October 14, 2011 with Father Gary Wankerl presiding. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Oregon Area Senior Center. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Oregon Area Senior Center. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2011 at Gunderson Oregon Funeral Home, 1150 S. Park Street, Oregon, Wisconsin, and on Friday, October 14, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Mother of Consolation Church in Oregon, Wisconsin prior to the funeral service. A mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Mother of Consolation Church, 651 N. Main Street, Oregon, WI 53575 at 11:00 a.m. on October 14, 2011 with Father Gary Wankerl presiding.