Joseph Harold Winters

The world lost a quiet gentle soul when Joseph Harold Winters Jr. went to heaven on March 26th 2017 at Mercy Medical in Merced California at the age of 86 after a long battle with Parkinson and complications of pneumonia. His wife Gladys and his bonus son Neil were at his bedside.

Joseph was born to Mary and Joseph Winters in Jersey City, New Jersey on February 14th 1931. He was the family sweetheart. He was the oldest of 3 boys. (Joseph, Bill & Frank.)

He grew up in New Jersey and played baseball for the Jersey City Redbirds. He always enjoyed sports and when he went into the Air Force reaching the rank of Staff Sargent he excelled in boxing and won Golden Gloves tournaments. He was discharged from the Air Forced in 1962 and was employed at International Paper Co. in Turlock CA as the Controller of the plant for 25 years. He married his first wife Lucille.and acquired a bonus family of 5... (.3 boys and 2 girls). Patricia, Bill, Lonnie, Loy and Neil Schertz. He and his first wife Lucille became guardians for a bonus granddaughter, Carolyn Schertz., and they raised her as their own and sent her to a private college and Joseph walked her down the aisle on her wedding day. Joseph took early retirement from International Paper Company to care for his ailing wife Lucille and was her caretaker for 2 years until she passed on.

Joseph continued in sports and loved bowling. He bowled 300 and won many trophies and was on the same bowling team for 20 years.

Joseph remarried in 1989 to his second wife Gladys and acquired another bonus family with a bonus son Patrick Cotton. Joe and Gladys were able to travel here in the United States until he became ill with Parkinsons and enjoyed many trips thru Merced College Community Services.

He enjoyed Italian food and old Western Movies, He liked law movies and was Foreman on the Grand Jury for Merced County in 1998-1999. He enjoyed playing golf and working in the yard and gardening.

Joseph was preceded in death by his parents, his two brothers Bill and Frank Winters, first wife Lucille and bonus daughter Patricia.

He is survived by his wife, Gladys, of 28 years; bonus son Patrick Cotton and Nathan Doty of Penn Valley, California; brother-in-law Don Robinson & Bill Purkey of Tucson Arizona: Sister-in-law Carol Winters of South Carolina; nephews Scott Winters and Gloria of Chicago Ill: Brian and Laura Winters of N.J. Craig and Melissa Winters of N.J.; Niece Patricia Winters Leimone and Eric of Florida. Bonus son Neil and Lisa Schertz of Merced CA, bonus son Bill and Nancy Schertz of Merced, CA ,Bonus son Lonnie of South Carolina. Bonus daughter Loy & Joe Creel of Colinga CA. Bonus granddaughter Carolyn Schertz Bean and Tom of Fremont CA. and many bonus grandchildren and bonus great grandchildren and great nieces and nephews in the Winters family. Many friends and 3 members of his bowling team and special family friend Casey Payne.

The family would like to thank the many nurses and CNA's that cared for Joseph the last 3 years of his life at Hylond Health Care Center, Merced.

Thanks also to Dr. Uppal, Dr.Fuh, Dr. Hylton, and Dr. Kosuri.

A Celebration of Life for Joseph will be held at Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home 1490 B Street, Merced CA 95341 on Saturday April 8th 2017 at 11:00 am. Reception to follow in Stratford Evans Reception Hall.

Interment on April 21, 2017 at San Joaquin Valley Cemetery at 10:30 am

32053 W McCabe Road, Santa Nella Village, CA 95322.

Arrangements under the direction of Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home, Merced, CA.