We created this online memorial to celebrate the life of Jeffrey Winters - on what would have been his 60th Birthday! It's a great place to collect your stories and memories, as we share some of our own. Click on the heart to let us know you were here and to receive email updates.
Jeffery Winters: My dear friend Jeff!!! One of the
HAPPIEST people I have EVER known!!! What a jolly man. Always smiling and happy!!! He loved his family dearly. Jeff was always UP for an adventure. He loved to travel 🧳. He could hit every... moreJeffery Winters: My dear friend Jeff!!! One of the
HAPPIEST people I have EVER known!!! What a jolly man. Always smiling and happy!!! He loved his family dearly. Jeff was always UP for an adventure. He loved to travel 🧳. He could hit every exhibition at Disney or a worlds fair, “IN ONE DAY “, he would go in the exit and see what he wanted to see and then leave. GENIUS!!! Our Young Adult Group at church traveled to the Florida Keys to go camping 🏕 one summer. Jeff and I ate the most prime rib, as I remember, 9 servings!!! I know that Jeff will greet me at the “Eastern Gate of Heaven” on the day the Lord calls me home. Jeff lived a FULL LIFE!!! What a HAPPY MAN!!! Shalom Aleichem 💪😎👍❤️🙏. PS. I’m traveling at the moment, when I get home I’ll look to see if I have any pictures…
We met less
Jeffery Winters: My dear friend Jeff!!! One of the
HAPPIEST people I have EVER known!!! What a jolly man. Always smiling and happy!!! He loved his family dearly. Jeff was always UP for an adventure. He loved to travel
This memoir was sent in by Deborah 'Deb' Parsons - who also contributed to the photos on the previous post!
"What can I say about Jeff, (I never could get used to Jeffery- he will always be Jeff to me) but that I loved him so very much, and still do! ... moreThis memoir was sent in by Deborah 'Deb' Parsons - who also contributed to the photos on the previous post!
"What can I say about Jeff, (I never could get used to Jeffery- he will always be Jeff to me) but that I loved him so very much, and still do! He had the mind of an explorer, the heart of a dreamer, and was filled with tremendous love and compassion for others. He seemed to drink in life, always finding something new to explore and learn.
I think that because Pam and Jen were so close in age that Jeff almost always got stuck with me. He was always such a great sport hanging out with me although he never let me forget that he was 5 years and 8-months older than me. I remember one time, I must have been about 10 or 11 and feeling very blue and unwanted, he wiped away my tears and said, “let's go for a drive”. We got in the car, put the windows down while he drove me all over town, introduced me to people that he knew, and made me feel so special and grown-up. He acted like he was actually proud of me, I am sure I did absolutely nothing to add to his cool- factor, but he became a hero to me.
I know when he stayed with us that next summer, there were many times I must have made him crazy. He was being starved, forced to eat puffed wheat, deprived of sugar (even in his ketchup), ran and did sit-ups with dad every morning, but was still patient with me while I stuck to him like glue. I remember my mom often saying to me- “Debbie, give Jeff a break!”. We would often sit and listen to music together – actually Jeff introduced me to the Imperials and I remember he said his favorite song was “Praise the Lord”, which has now become my favorite as well.
Jeff never did anything halfway. I remember a funny story from my wedding day. After the ceremony, we were leaving as rice was being thrown, most people were tossing it gently in the air as we walked underneath, but not Jeff. When I got into the car, I turned to look at Shawn and he had his head over to the side and I said “What are you doing?” he said, “I’m trying to get the rice out of my ear- Jeffery got me good”. Sure enough, we were laughing as we picked rice out of his hair and ear for the rest of the night.
When we moved into our first house in Virginia, Jeff would come up to stay and we would spend hours having deep conversations outside on the deck. These are such wonderful memories.
From his great bear hugs, calls, to his emoji texts. Jeff always had his way of making me feel cared about.
June 12, 2016, at 6:12 pm he texted me from church and sent me the last 4 leaf clover I have ever received. To this day, every so often, I send his phone emojis to keep him current in my messages. " less
This memoir and photos were sent in by Jeffrey's 'Uncle Dick Winters':
I have always felt a close bonding with my nephew, Jeffrey Winters. I think it really started when he spent a Summer with us here in Luray VA. We had just moved to our new property... moreThis memoir and photos were sent in by Jeffrey's 'Uncle Dick Winters':
I have always felt a close bonding with my nephew, Jeffrey Winters. I think it really started when he spent a Summer with us here in Luray VA. We had just moved to our new property in 1977. We had a small barn constructed just before we moved everything down to Luray. Not a fancy barn but with sliding doors, cracks in floors and hay loft. Jeffrew had the hayloft while the four of us were on the first floor. We had many good times together with Jeffrey helping to get things in order while watching as our house was being constructed. It was a hot Summer with very high temperatures in the hay loft.
Jeffrey always liked to plan ahead for things we could do together. Our longest trip was to France to see the Annual Paris Air Show. He always loved the aircraft, so we both greatly appreciated the show. We rented car so did a little exploring in France. We traveled up to Normandy and saw the place where the Battle of D day took place and the thousands of American graves by men lost in that battle. Jeffrey really desired to see the LeMans race track, and to my surprise he was able to get in to the track for a race.
Jeffrey invited me to come up to Alaska while he was in college there. He took me on tour to see glaciers and the beauty of that state. We took many shorter trips together in the U.S. One of the recent ones was when Peggy bought airline tickets for him to fly to Washington. We did some local sight seeing but spent most of the day at the Naval Academy enjoying its beauty and history.
In our time together, Jeffrey often bought things for me. Once he bought a Navy ball cap “USS Antietam CV-36 with a picture of the aircraft carrier. He knew as a Naval Aviator, I did my aircraft qualifications on that carrier. My most prized model airplane is a TWA L1011 . Jeffrey gave it to me at the time I transitioning to that plane with TWA. We always had such wonderful times together. We still were making plans for future trips when the Lord called him home. I certainly miss my greatly loved nephew, Jeffrey Winters less
"I have many fond memories of Jeffrey over the years. He always had a smile & was in good humor & gave the best back rubs as you can see in the photos!! I especially remember the stories that he told... moreFrom Carol Robinson, Jeffrey's cousin:
"I have many fond memories of Jeffrey over the years. He always had a smile & was in good humor & gave the best back rubs as you can see in the photos!! I especially remember the stories that he told of his life experiences like when he drove to Alaska from Florida!! He was a free spirit & always followed his heart & passion, the path where God took him. I greatly admired the courage he had to do that. A part of Jeffrey is with each of us who had the pleasure to know him. I think we are better because of it. Time goes on & new generations follow as we remember the ones who have gone before us. I think of him often & look forward to the day that I will be able to see him again in God's house." less
This memoir was sent in from Robert Michael Landis:
"John Winters married Margaret (Peggy) Pritchard, and Jeffrey Mark was their first offspring. Jeffrey was born in Chicago, soon after John was ordained in the Evangelical United Brethren Church.... moreThis memoir was sent in from Robert Michael Landis:
"John Winters married Margaret (Peggy) Pritchard, and Jeffrey Mark was their first offspring. Jeffrey was born in Chicago, soon after John was ordained in the Evangelical United Brethren Church. My first recollection of Jeffrey was changing his diapers when John and Peggy lived on Diversey Parkway in Chicago. While we were always geographically separated, Jeffrey was as close to a brother as I ever had.
Jeffrey was always a bit of a rebel, marching to the beat of a different drummer. Who else do we know who was raised in Florida, and then attends college in Alaska?? And then, DRIVING back and forth a number of times! Too cool! At some point, he grew that thick, rich red beard and I don't remember it ever leaving him after that.
Whenever we would meet - either by phone or in person - it was an amazingly hearty and wonderful time. It was rich when he met Cindy, and then marrying her, and watching two incredible kids come into the world. Whenever I see them now, I can't help seeing Jeffrey.
How shocked and how sad we all were when he passed away. Every person has a certain number of days. Only our marvelous Creator knows how many. I can't wait to see my cousin Jeffrey when I get to Heaven. What great joy he brought me in our years "together/apart." I think of him most dearly most every day.
- Robert Michael Landis (Ara Belle's firstborn) less
These photos were sent in by Cindy Pritchard, with the following captions:
"Fishing in 2002 at Dewart Lake with Mat"
"Men's conference in 1993 at Purdue U"
"Jeffrey's wonderful hugs"
"Collecting golf balls to be placed in Peggy’s milk cartons -... moreThese photos were sent in by Cindy Pritchard, with the following captions:
"Fishing in 2002 at Dewart Lake with Mat"
"Men's conference in 1993 at Purdue U"
"Jeffrey's wonderful hugs"
"Collecting golf balls to be placed in Peggy’s milk cartons - 2001"
"At a NASCAR race in 2002" less
These beautiful photos were contributed by Amy Sheffield - Jeffrey's first cousin. She adds:
The family reunion on the West Coast was the last time that I was with Jeffrey. Doing some sightseeing with the Winters family was a great part of that trip.... moreThese beautiful photos were contributed by Amy Sheffield - Jeffrey's first cousin. She adds:
The family reunion on the West Coast was the last time that I was with Jeffrey. Doing some sightseeing with the Winters family was a great part of that trip. In hindsight, probably the most important part, thanks be to God.
The photo of our kids with the Alaska plane that Caleb is holding is special because when Jeffrey found out that we were moving to Alaska with the Coast Guard he gave the plane to our son. He seemed to have loved all things Alaska and I can remember him visiting Indiana when I was a kid on his way home from Alaska. Caleb is holding that Alaskan Airlines plane a year or so later after his death. less