He was born July 27, 1934, in Rootstown, Ohio, to parents, Wilhelm F. and Gretchen (Raithel) Winnefeld. Bill remained a lifelong resident of Biltz Road. He was raised on his family’s farm and continued the farming tradition. He was a man who loved his land. During this time of the year, he would be gearing up for making hay for his cows. He always said he had to “make hay when the sun shines.” The Winnefeld land was very important to him as it was in the family for over 100 years. During his failing health, he still insisted on mowing his own yard.
He was a member of the Rootstown First Congregational UCC. Bill worked for 36 years at Kent State U., where he met his wife, Darla. She was a clerk typist and he was a plumbing foreman at the time. They were married for 52 years. He retired as a plant manager of HVAC. He also did the plumbing for the new house that they built 52 years ago.
Being a farmer, Bill was quite the handyman and enjoyed the outdoors. He welcomed the hard work of the farm and took pride in his farming and gardening. Bill also loved to fish and hunt. In the later years he loved fishing with his much younger neighbor on Lake Erie.
His children were very important to him: Holly, Brett and Andy. He was very pleased as they all graduated from Kent State and then went on to further their education: Holly-JD; Brett-MBA and CFA; and Andy who graduated from NEOUCOM and became MD. He had five grandsons: Alex, Phillip, Nick, Thomas and Max.
Bill and Darla took several road trips throughout the USA – having traveled to almost every state in the Union. They also took four bus tours of many European countries. In 1994, he was so very happy when he went into a German bakery and remembered a few words of German to order some items.
He was a good farmer; good gardener; good handy man; good husband; and he did it his way.
Bill is survived by his wife of 52 years Darla (Bender)Winnefeld, his children: Holly McLeod, Brett (Tere)Winnefeld and Andy (Sarah) Winnefeld, and his grandchildren: Alex, Phillip, Nick, Thomas, and Max, as well as his sister Betty (Eli) Ruben.
In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his sisters: Herta Nitz and Elizabeth Moledor, and his son-in-law Scott McLeod.
Friends and family will be received Saturday, June 8, 2019, from 12:00 – 1:00 PM with a funeral service officiated by Pastor Susan Woodall at 1:00 PM at the Wood-Kortright-Borkoski Funeral Home, 703 E. Main St., Ravenna. Interment will follow at Homeland Cemetery.
Condolences and memories may be shared at www.wood-kortright-borkoski.com.
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