Barbara Jean “Barb” Winckler, 76, of Winner, SD passed away on Friday, March 29, 2024 at her residence in Winner, SD.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Friday, April 5, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner, SD. Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery.
Barbara Jean (“Barb”) Winckler was born on May 29, 1947, to Raymond Bambas and Genevieve (Wysuph) “Jenny” Bambas, in the Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, South Dakota. She was the only child born to the Bambas family and lived in Tyndall, South Dakota, throughout her upbringing. Ray was a plumber while Jenny was a homemaker for many years; and, together, they ran the local movie theatre and the Tyndall Sky Hi Drive-In.
Barb graduated from Tyndall High School in 1965 – and treasured her high school classmates for life – especially the love of her life Myron “Big Mike” Winckler. She went on to acquire her elementary education bachelor’s degree from the University of South Dakota and began teaching the next fall in the Yankton School District.
While growing up, Barb was active in many school activities and, until the last few years, was happy to share a demonstration of a favorite cheer while a high school cheerleader. In college, she was a proud member of the Chi Omega sorority and spoke often of her shared experiences with her sorority sisters.
After many a love letter while serving in the Army in Vietnam, Myron Mark Winckler made the best decision of his life and asked Barbara Jean Bambas to marry him. They were engaged in February of 1969 and married on July 24, 1969. They danced beautifully – at weddings and other events – and ultimately, through life. To this union, two children were born – Alicia Jean in 1972 and Mark Raymond in 1978.
After a few years in Yankton, Mike and Barb moved to Colome, South Dakota, where Barb continued her career as a teacher. A few years later, they moved to the big city – Winner – with Barb transitioning to teach in the Winner School District. While Mike was socializing with others, enjoying the outdoors, and demonstrating reliably how to tell a great story, Barb was trying to get him to “do good, kind things”, “watch his language”, and be a role model for his children – but also laughed heartily and was entertained by his antics, sayings, and retorts for the better part of their life together. Although their interests and personalities were very different, they remained in love through each of their earthly transitions.
Through an impactful career of 33 years as an elementary school teacher, primarily for reading and math for early elementary students, she took great pride in the success of her school children and would reference their life successes as she tracked many of them quietly for years thereafter.
Barb was widely known for her kindness, warmth, expressive cards and letters, and enthusiastic conversations. She approached others always with a smile and with a positivity, hopefulness, and faith that miracles do happen while keeping hope alive for a better future. Many have shared stories about her kind words and effervescent smile, enthusiastic waving while driving about town, and enjoyable (yet never brief) conversations as she moved about her daily life – noticeably changing their day in a positive way.
She took immense pride in and loved her family deeply. To anyone whom she encountered, she told stories about the successes and accomplishments of her grandchildren and children – and when life wasn’t so kind – what she hoped for each of their futures. She was also quite a sports enthusiast – especially when her son, Mark, was wrestling. At times, her response to what was happening on the mat was more entertaining than what was actually happening on the mat.
She is survived by her daughter Alicia Jean, her grandson, Lucas Edward Hansen, his father, Gary Hansen; her son, Mark Raymond, his three children, Norah Blanche, Jacob Marcus, and Sullivan Charles, and their mother, Melissa (Grossenburg) Winckler; and her sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law – Norma (Bob) Bender, JoeWayne Winckler, Vern Dangel, Jarvis (Marilyn) Winckler, Sue Winckler, Merlin (Lisa) Winckler, and Larry Winckler.
Barb passed peacefully in her home on Good Friday, March 29, 2024, appropriate as she was a staunch woman of Catholic faith.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Mike, her parents, Genevieve and Ray Bambas, her sister-in-law, Arla Dangel, her brother-in-law David Winckler, Mike’s parents, Hubert and Edna Winckler, several of she and Mike’s good friends, and many uncles, aunts, cousins.
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