Norma Winter 7/14/1938 – 8/22/2022
On August 22, 2022, Normalene Yvonne Winter passed away peacefully at the age of 84 with her family by her side.
Norma was born on July 14, 1938, in Aloha Township, Cheboygan County, MI, and was the youngest of 9 children. She would often recall bird watching with her father and nature walks with her brother Curtis. Norma’s love of nature continued throughout her life.
In October 1955, Norma met Sterling “bud” Winter at an after-church youth function. On New Year’s weekend 1956, Norma accompanied bud and his mother to Decatur, Alabama to visit family. When Bud was asked if Norma was his wife, he replied, “Not yet, but I hope soon”. Bud then turned to Norma and asked, “Ok?”. She referred to him as a ‘hopeless romantic’.
Bud and Norma were married on February 17, 1956, at Sanford Baptist Church in Sanford, Michigan. She went on to give birth to three children, Lonnie, Vickie and John. Together, Bud and Norma instilled a deep love of God and appreciation of nature in their children. After several years of running a family restaurant, the young family relocated to Phoenix, Arizona. Bud and Norma became active in their local church, 44th St. Church of God, and many years later would celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary there. They would later settle in Mesa, Arizona where they enjoyed the view of the Superstition Mountains from their home.
Norma and Bud loved to travel the country in their RV. They insisted it was because their son Lonnie and his family made their home in Northern California, son John and his family lived in Georgia, and their daughter Vicki and her family lived in Mesa, Arizona. But those who knew them best, knew that it was a lifestyle they dearly loved. They traveled from coast to coast and campground to campground making friends and experiencing life all along the way. Norma would say her last goodbye to her beloved husband Bud in June 2006, after Bud’s long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
Through the years, Norma spent countless hours sewing, crafting, and playing games with family and friends. She found great purpose sharing in the joys and accomplishments of those around her. She was wholeheartedly proud of her children and grandchildren.
In the hours leading up to her passing, Norma knew her time was drawing near, and she was able to speak to her loved ones to let them know how much she loved them. And on the day of her passing she told her children she knew they would all be together again, and she was going to be with “dad” and Jesus…an awesome Declaration of Faith to leave with her children.
Preceded in her homegoing was her husband, Sterling “Bud” Winter, her eldest son, Walter “Lonnie” Winter and her grandson, Michael Winter.
She is survived by two children, Vickie Joiner of Mesa, Az and John Winter of Anniston, Al.
She is also survived by 5 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.