In Memory Of
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Albert L. Winkler
Seneca, Kansas
12/21/1928 - 05/17/2019
Albert Leo Winkler, age 90, of Kelly, passed away on May 17, 2019 at Crestview Nursing & Residential Living in Seneca surrounded by his children. His beloved wife, Ellen, preceded him in death on March 6 of this year. Albert was born on December 21, 1928 in Kelly, Kansas, the son of Eugene and Philomena Kongs Winkler. His first school was a one-room schoolhouse. He later went to Kelly schools, graduating from St. Bede’s High School in Kelly, and went to St. Benedict’s College in Atchison, Kansas.
In 1951 he left college to join the United States Marine Corp. While stationed in Korea from December 1951 to December 1952, he participated in operations against enemy forces in South and Central Korea. His specialty was artillery survey work. His Battalion was assigned to provide calculation of survey coordinates for protecting the UN truce negotiators in the village of Panmunjom. The survey team was reputed to be the most precise and accurate in the 8th Army. He was injured during combat and awarded the Purple Heart. He also was awarded the National Defense Medal, Korean Service Medal and UN Service Medal. In 2002, he participated in a Korean War Veterans Revisit Tour, returning to the village of Panmunjom and forward outposts along the DMZ.
On January 17, 1953, Albert married Ellen Haverkamp at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in St. Benedict, Kansas while on his leave from the Marine Corps. They initially lived at the Marine base in 29 Palms in California, and then moved to their farm south of Kelly. While farming full time and starting a family, he was determined to complete his college degree, and did so by commuting to Manhattan, Kansas, 72 miles each way. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Economics in 1967.
In 1967 he was awarded a fellowship to attend graduate school. At the age of 39, and with his 8th child on the way, Albert and Ellen moved the family to Manhattan, Kansas where, during the next three years Albert completed coursework for his Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Economics. His Ph.D. was awarded in 1972. They moved to various college towns where Albert taught and he and Ellen raised their nine children. His teaching stops included Kansas State University, Purdue University Calumet Campus, Fort Hays State University, Johnson County Community College and Highland Community College.
They returned to their farm south of Kelly in 1987 and raised cattle. During this time, Albert farmed, managed the Seneca Elevator, taught night classes for Highland County Community College, did crop adjusting and sold seed. He served as President of the Nemaha County Historical Society. In 2012 they moved to Seneca.
Albert and Ellen celebrated their 50thanniversary in 2003 and their 66th anniversary in 2019.
Albert was a positive man by nature and shared that with countless people. He enjoyed his work in many fields and took special pride in fixing things as economically as possible. Albert had a lifelong passion for physical activity: running, swimming and working. He was very health conscious and enjoyed studying the impact of nutrition on the diet and its ability to improve the quality of life.
He was a loving husband and father who silently took pride in his family’s activities and quietly corrected any wrongdoing. He enjoyed coaching sports when his children were growing up and thoroughly enjoyed traveling around the state of Kansas watching them play high school and collegiate sports.
Albert had a deep and unwavering faith. Praying the Rosary was a constant in the family household and on car trips over the years. He was a member of St. Bede’s Parish in Kelly, and the Knights of Columbus.
Albert is survived by his nine children: Joan (Jim) Lueger, Seneca, Jayne (Bart) Harvey, Carmel, IN, Mary (Owen) Geisz, Fairway, KS, Joe (Susan) Winkler, Lincoln, NE, Rod (Sharon) Winkler, Sabetha, KS, Mark (Dawn) Winkler, Corning, KS, Bonnie (Jim) Wetzel, Palos Heights, IL, John Winkler (former wife, Lena Gruenbacher), Manhattan, KS, and David (Kara) Winkler, Prairie Village, KS; 27 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren with 3 on the way; two brothers, Marvin (Theresa) Winkler, LeRoy (Eunice) Winkler, sister-in-law Lillian (Clarence) Engelken, and life-long friends Tom and Sue McGuire, and many nieces and nephews.
Albert was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Philomena Winkler, brother and sister-law Linus and Lucille Winkler, and sister and brother-in-law Eleanor and Raymond Hermesch.
Rosaries will be prayed at Lauer Funeral home on Tuesday, May 21st at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM. The Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Bede’s Church in Kelly on Wednesday, May 22nd at 10:30 AM, with burial following in St. Bede Cemetery.
Memorials may be left with Lauer Funeral Home for the Benedictine Sisters at Mount St. Scholastica, Nemaha County Historical Society, or the Manhattan Catholic Schools.
Rosaries will be prayed at Lauer Funeral home on Tuesday, May 21st at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Bede’s Church in Kelly on Wednesday, May 22nd at 10:30 AM, with burial following in St. Bede Cemetery.
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Condolences
Prayers are with you and your family.
Sorry for your loss.🙏 for you and your family!
Dear Ellen & family:
Please accept our deepest sympathies and condolences.
Respectfully,
Alan & Vicki Winkler
Colorado Springs Colorado
My sincere condolences to The Winkler family.
Although I have never had the honor to meet Mr. Albert Winkler personally, I have known his son, David, for 10+ years.
As a South Korea-born American, I am greatly honored and unconditionally appreciative to have known about Mr. Albert Winkler, through his son David, and the sacrifices he made to ensure democracy on the Korean peninsula. Mr. Albert Winkler’s dedication to duty and his fight from freedom has enabled me and millions of other South Koreans to build a better life, enjoy freedom and prosper to where we are today. I don’t know how to thank him, but I know I can honor him by appreciating the freedoms we all take for granted and not forgetting what he has done for king and country, and my family.
Thank you for your service, dedication and honor – traits, that I know firsthand, which will continue to flow through the Winkler family for generations to come.
Thank you, MIchael Lee for sharing your sentiments. You have already honored dad by your public statement here expressing your appreciation for the sacrifices others made for freedom. We thank you for that.
Thank you Michael Lee! Your amazing kind words are so appreciated!
To each and every one of you Winkler kids, in-laws, grandkids, and great grand kids-
While this year has been tough on each of you, it will inevitably be looked back on as a very special year. Your Mom and Dad will always be remembered for the great legacy they left behind and for the fact that they could not be separated for but a few months. They did an amazing job in raising each of you and you all have in turn honored them by the lives that you live and the legacy that you continue to pass on.
Your Mom and Dad were great neighbors to us and, more importantly, they were great friends to Dad and especially Mom after our Dad passed away!
They will both always be remembered fondly by our family!
Joe and Ashley Steinlage
Thank you Joe, my parents loved the Steinlages
Our deepest Sympathy to all of you. Our thoughts and Prayers are with all of you. So sorry for your loss we have a lot of beautiful memories of all of you when you were in INDIANA.
Mary, keeping you and your family in my prayers.
Thank you, Claudia.
Mary,
I am thinking of you and wishing you moments of peace and comfort as you remember and celebrate your dad’s life. May he rest in God’s loving arms.
Thank you, Brenda.
My dear friend David,
Please accept my and my family’s heart
felt condolences on the passing of your father. I lost my Dad in 1978 and my Mom in 2013 so I know the hurt, but yet I know your fond
Memories of your Dad will see you through.
All my best to you and your family during this time, David.
Mike and Betsy Derrington
Ballwin, MO
My late husband, William Novak, and I enjoyed your parents and all the cousins. I remember the last visit, your sweet mother and Elinor took me to the home to see your dad. He was his jolly, sweet self. Now we mourn all three. My deepest sympathy. I pray that God will guide and comfort you through this time of grief and sorrow.
Winkler family, especially Mark and Rod of whom we are acquainted, so sorry for your loss and so soon after losing your Mother. Dad will be at home with Mom now and that has to be a peaceful thought. Our love and prayers are with you and families.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
With deepest sympathy.
Marlene and Rob Woodard
Sending love and hugs to all of you and especially strength for tomorrow. I’ll always remember your Dad’s smile. What a fine legacy of courage, wisdom and kindness he has left behind! Love never ends. Hoping it surrounds and comforts you now and always.