Shirley Ruth Winter

Shirley R. Winter, 77 of Linn, Kansas died Thursday, January 12, 2023, at the Linn Community Nursing Home. Visitation was Sunday, January 15, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Ward Funeral Home in Linn. The family received friends from 5 to 7 p.m. A funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, January 16, at Zion Lutheran Church in Linn. Burial was in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery. On August 23, 1945, Shirley was born to Ervin and Martha (Peters) Boerger on the family farm Northeast of Linn. She was baptized on September 9, 1945, at Zion Lutheran Church where she was a lifelong member. She graduated from Linn Rural High School in 1963. On May 16, 1965, Shirley was united in marriage to Donald Walter Winter, son of Walter and Bertha Winter. They lived in Linn for their entire 53 years of marriage. Shirley and Donnie immediately started a family having Lori, January, 1966, Kerry, March, 1967, Tim, October, 1968, and Rick, March, 1971. Shirley stayed in the home with her children and provided child care for others until the children were school age. She then entered the work force and excelled as a cook at the Linn American Legion, The Bulldog Inn, The Summit, and the Linn Public Schools. She loved to cook for the Linn Community and was so proud when someone would come to the kitchen to say hello or thanks after their meal. Shirley became known far and wide for her famous potato salad, cinnamon rolls, and pies, especially her coconut cream pie with a towering, delicious meringue, which were enjoyed by many for 10 a.m. break at the Bulldog Inn. She loved working with so many young people to whom she trained and in many ways was a second mother. She was a hard worker but had a fun-loving ornery nature working with and serving meals to so many community members and students. Her fun nature was evident by the story of her friends and her letting air out of the tires of her dad’s Buick and driving the car on the railroad tracks from Linn to many other surrounding communities. Shirley loved supporting her children in their activities and celebrated bulldog victories serving the entire community as the manager of the Bulldog Inn. While working there she would host weekend dances in 80’s. The dances were attended and enjoyed by many, and Shirley enjoyed meeting all the teenagers and young adults that attended. She loved watching the Wildcats, Chiefs and Royals with Donnie. Shirley loved Donnie, but we all knew of her not-so-secret crushes on Kenny Rogers, George Brett, and Alan Jackson. Shirley loved traveling around to other communities to play Bingo with friends where she would play multiple cards and most often came home a winner. Her passion would later become being a grandmother to 11 and very recently a great-grandmother. She loved her grandchildren to whom she passed on her orneriness and practical joke nature. Preceding her in death is her husband, Donnie; parents Ervin and Martha; and her sister Jeralyn; in-laws, Walter and Bertha Winter; and brother-in-law, Paul Winter. She is survived by her daughter, Lori (Jim) Nutsch of Linn, son Kerry (Misty) Winter of Overland Park, son Tim (Kerri) Winter of Milford, son Rick Winter of Kahoka, MO, sister-in-law Shirley (Loren) Knight, Wahoo, NE, 11 grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and one great grandchild. A memorial fund is established to Zion Lutheran Church. Contributions may be sent in care of Ward Funeral Home. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Shirley Ruth Winter, please visit our flower store.