Mary E Winther

Mary Ellen Winther, the daughter of Allison John and Ollivene Faye Kauffman Deist, was born October 10, 1945, in Carroll, Iowa and died Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital in Audubon, Iowa at the age of 69 years, six months and twenty-seven days.

Mary attended country school in rural Audubon County and in Gray, Iowa. Mary graduated from Audubon High School. On June 26, 1964 she was united in marriage to Roger E. Winther in Ross, Iowa. The couple lived in rural Audubon county before moving to town in 1977.

Mary was a homemaker for many years staying home to raise her four children. When the family moved to town, she worked briefly as a dispatcher for the Audubon Police Department. Then Mary began providing in-home daycare for many children that she loved as her own. In 1997, she began working at the Friendship Home in Audubon as a housekeeper, moving on to the laundry service and finally assisting in feeding residents suffering with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Mary was a long time member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa, where she participated in the women’s circle, prayer group and Bible study. She enjoyed gardening and loved pink flowers. Mary had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed spending time with family and friends. She was always on the go and rarely missed her afternoon coffee group at the Chatterbox. Despite health issues throughout her life, she never let anything slow her down. She had a strong faith in God to carry her through all adversity and she triumphed over every obstacle. She was always willing to help others in anyway she could. She will always be remembered for her smile, humor and kind spirit.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Roger; her parents, Allison and Ollivene Deist; and an infant brother, Morris Deist.

She is survived by her four children, Sandra (Russell) Byriel of Ankeny, Iowa, Shelia Bahm of Mitchell, South Dakota, Robert (Angie) Winther of Audubon, Iowa, and Sharon Winther of Shelby, Iowa; five grandchildren, Mandy Bahm, Nikki (Cody) Pomeroy, Joel Winther and special friend Megan, Kelly Bahm and Katie Byriel; three brothers, John Paul (Carlene) Deist, Jerry (Margie) Deist and Ivan Deist all of Audubon, Iowa; a sister, Dottie (Dan) Brownsberger of Oakland, Iowa and four great-grandchildren, Neveah Patterson, JR Patterson, Rosylyn Winther, and Kendall Pomeroy. As well as many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.