Obituary of Mary J. Winnie

Mary Jane Winnie passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 26, following a lovely day celebrating Christmas with family. Mary was born Mary Jane Hunter in Lorimer, IA on September 11, 1919. She often said she had an almost idyllic childhood, despite living through the depression. One of the highlights of her early years was learning to drive the family coupe, one of the only girls in town who did so. Mary attended Drake University where she was a music major, majorette for the band and a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She met her husband, John Ross Winnie while vacationing at Clear Lake and they married on June 4, 1939. Following a honeymoon trip to England on the Queen Mary, they moved to cities throughout the Midwest as John directed various theater companies and Mary designed costumes and sets. WWII found Mary traveling to California, intending to stay with John for six months during Navy training, only to find out the day she arrived that his orders had changed and he was shipping out the next day. She spent the duration of the war in Des Moines and finally got to reunite with her husband in California when he returned from the South Pacific and joined the faculty at UCLA. In 1950 they returned to Iowa, and she became a UI faculty wife and active member of many groups. She also signed on as "head tennis mom" when John took over as UI Tennis Coach in 1969, nurturing many college tennis players and cheering them on at every meet, up until just about 3 years ago when she had to follow them through the paper instead of courtside. She was one of the first volunteers at UIHC and was recognized for 5000 volunteer hours in 2010; when she was no longer physically able to work in the hospital, she contributed by knitting hundreds of hats for newborns. Mary loved her home and garden and was very happy to call herself a "homemaker," as was her family who benefited greatly. Mary was able to make homes for her family in Caracas, Venezuela and Bogota, Colombia too, when John worked there. Though she had many adventures during those times, she was always happy to return to Iowa and her own home. She was fortunate to remain in her home, continuing her hobbies of sewing and crafting, until very recently when she moved to Briarwood Healthcare Center. Even in Briarwood, Mary kept busy and was found working on a quilt for her granddaughter's Christmas gift just days before her death. Mary was pre deceased by her husband of 53 years, John Winnie. She is survived by her daughters, Penny Rembolt (Dick) and Cheryl Mabon Lampman (Dale), seven grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. Mary donated her body to University Hospital and per her wishes; there will not be a memorial service. Memorials can be sent to University of Iowa Athletic General Scholarship fund: John Winnie tennis scholarship or University of Iowa Hospital Volunteer program.