Roy Winters

Roy Clark Winters was a vigorous man who delighted in family and friends and all that life had to offer. He was proud to serve his country and prouder still to raise seven children. His grandchildren received the kind of attention that raised his children well and made them glad he was in their lives. Roy was born at a time when families were trying to make life pleasant during the Depression. They relied on the simple joys of gathering round the radio to listen to baseball games or be inspired by President Franklin Roosevelts Fireside Chats. In the midst of these challenging times, one family in Muskegon, Michigan was celebrating the birth of their first child, whom they named after his father. Baby Roy was born to Roy and Willo (Noble) Winters on May 26, 1933, and later he became the big brother of Carolyn and Mary Jane. While their mother cared for the children at home, Mr. Winters supported the family through his work as a surveyor with the Muskegon County road commission. He became Muskegons city manager for a short time and then went into business as owner-operator of Certified Concrete. Young Roy learned a lot from his father over the years, none more important than love of family. Growing up in Muskegon on the shores of Lake Michigan, Roy enjoyed the activities of woods and water. His dad taught him to hunt and fish, and his eagerness to be outdoors just grew over the years. It was little wonder that Roy became a Boy Scout and excelled to the rank of Eagle Scout. He learned skills and discipline that served him well in years to come. Roy attended Muskegon Public Schools and played baseball and football during high school. Shortly after graduating from Muskegon High in 1951, Roy joined the Marines and was stationed in San Francisco. His time in the service produced two major results: he was very proud to be a Marine and he met his future wife. It was on a double date that Roy first got to know the pretty Marlene Freisheim. They hit it off, and the dating continued right into marriage on January 20, 1955. Following his military service, Roy went to college at Michigan Tech, yet it would not be until 1994 that he earned his degree in Civil Engineering. In the 50s and 60s, Roy and Marlene were very busy with their young family: Lynn was born in 1957, Michael in 1959, Robin in 1962, Clark in 1964, Patrick in 1965, Todd in 1967 and Tracy in 1969. All seven kids attended Muskegon Catholic Schools and graduated from Catholic Central High School. The childrens education became a family affair as Roy invested in their extra curricular activities. He coached their Little League teams and was a big fan of high school sports. Roy not only went to home games, he routinely loaded up the kids and their friends and took them to away games. He was an outstanding fan, especially when he wore his favorite stocking hat, adorned with all the pins. Being involved in his childrens upbringing meant raising them in the catholic faith. Roy and his family were members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, which reinforced the values taught at home. All the children, including some of their friends, benefited from the advice Roy provided and made them appreciative of his wisdom. Roys pride in his children was due, in part, to the fact that they knew right from wrong. In 1963, Roy had joined his father at Certified Concrete and eventually became the owner. The company was a proud community supporter, and the cement trucks were often painted with the local high schools logo. Unfortunately, the business did not survive the recession of the 1980s, but even after it closed, Roy found a way to make it. He continued to live life to the fullest and always had a smile on his face. With that smile came lots of funsome would say too much fun. Roy often sat down at a piano to regale listeners with his signature song, Touch of Class, and a little boogie-woogie. He took his love of hunting and fishing to a new level when he joined the Ruby Creek Conservation Club. However, the years started to take their toll. After 48 years of marriage, Roy and Marlene decided to divorce, but they continued to love each other until the very end. Roy died at the Poppen Hospice House on Thursday, December 13, 2007 at the age of 74. Roy will be remembered as a great guy with a fun-loving spirit. His children and grandchildren all loved him very much and were proud to have him as their father and grandfather. Mr. Roy C. Winters is survived by his former wife, Marlene; 4 sons, Michael (Anna) Winters, Clark (Dana) Winters, Patrick (Carrie) Winters, all of Muskegon, Todd (Lisa) Winters of Shelby Twp; 3 daughters, Lynn (Steven) Peterson of Muskegon, Robin (Gaetano) Fugazzotto of AZ, Tracy (Douglas) Staal of Muskegon; 13 grandchildren, Marsha, Harley, Brittany, Santo, Shannon, Jenna, Stuart, Isaiah, Noah, Emma, Logan, Willo, Olive; 1 great grandchild, Brianna; 2 sisters, Carolyn Belton of Alpena, MI, Mary Jane Winters of Muskegon. He was preceded in death by a baby son, Wayne Michael Winters. A service to celebrate Roys life will be held Thursday, December 20, 2007 at 6:00 PM at Clock Chapel with Fr. Jack LaGoe officiating. Relatives and friends are invited to meet the family one hour prior to the service on Thursday from 5-6 PM at Clock Life Story Funeral Home - Muskegon. Memorial contributions may be made to Ruby Creek Conservation Club or the Muskegon Catholic Central Foundation. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.