Catherine Winkeler

Many people called her the luckiest woman they knew. But what did this mean? To some, it was the fact that she would always win anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars playing scratchers. To others, it was the way she could enter a casino with her special gambling purse and exit a thousand dollars richer. But to her family, it was the beautiful life she lived, always surrounded by lots of family and friends.

On December 7, 1934, Catherine Marie Winkeler (nee Wunderlich) was born to the late Peter and Catherine Wunderlich in Washington, Missouri. She was the seventh of eleven children: dear sister of Roman (MaryLou) Wunderlich, Delores Dobsch, and Donna (Bob) Noelker, and the late Walter Wunderlich, Clarence Wunderlich, Maurice Wunderlich, Norbert Wunderlich, James Wunderlich, Helen Engemann, and Elsie Kleekamp. Through this large family upbringing, she was also a dear aunt to her many nieces and nephews with whom she would remain close throughout her life.

Catherine met Robert Winkeler, and they were married on June 2, 1956. Her luck grew even more over the next few years, as they welcomed three children: Bert (MaryAnn) Winkeler, Cindy (Lynn) Fox, and Nancy (Ken) Hahn. She had 12 grandchildren: Amanda (Mike) Moran, Anne (Dave) Hamtil, Dan Fox, Jason (Casey) Hahn, Sara (Mike) Meyer, Stephen (Kelly) Winkeler, Kate (Matt) Walton, Emily (Matt) Hellebusch, Shanna Winkeler, Stacey (Ryan) Kampwerth, Shawn (Nora) Winkeler, and Stefanie (Mark) Applebaum.

The greatest joy in her life through the trying pandemic we’ve endured over the last year were her 23 great-grandchildren: Madison, Emma, Ryleigh, and Harper Moran; Lane & Finley Hamtil and Taylor Brand; Holden Fox; Ella, Lucy, Clara, and Nora Hahn; Gia and Jacob Meyer;  Byron and Cora Winkeler; Elsie, Rosalie, and Wally Hellebusch; Alexis and Charlotte Kampwerth; and Kennedy and McKinley Applebaum.

Catherine will be dearly missed. Everyone who knew her can say without hesitation that they were the true lucky ones for having her in their lives