Funeral services for Ina June Winkelmann will be held on Monday, January 29, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastors Darren Theesen and Doug Reed officiating. Interment will follow at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege.
Ina June Winkelmann, 99 years of age, of Omaha, Nebraska, formerly of Holdrege passed away, on January 24, 2024, in Omaha. Ina June was born in Juniata, Nebraska on June 1, 1924, the fifth of six children, to Chester and Bertha (Gangwish) Leopold. She attended various rural schools in Hall and Harlan Counties to receive her primary education and then attended Huntley High School graduating with the class of 1941. Ina June pursued higher education by attending the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and received a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Wichita State in 1960. Her teaching career covered 40-plus years, in three states, and included two and a half years at Roosevelt Elementary School in Holdrege. Ina June’s first teaching assignment was a one-room schoolhouse in Hays County Nebraska; she retired in 1989 from teaching in Crescent, Iowa.
On October 6, 1946, Ina June was united in marriage to Joseph W. Winkelmann in Smith Center, Kansas, and to this union, five children were born: Bertha, Pamela, Joetta, Judith, and Ernest. During the years 1977 to 1981, Joseph and Ina June hosted three foreign exchange students from Germany: Ute, Sabine, and Silke. The couple made their home in Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa. Joseph preceded Ina June in death.
On June 1, 1993, Ina June was united in marriage to Ernest R. Winkelmann in Littleton, Colorado. The couple made their home in Aurora, Colorado. They enjoyed traveling and once drove to the most northern point in Alaska. During her retirement years, Ina June reconnected with her enjoyment of reading, embroidery, and quilting. Ernest preceded her in death and Ina June relocated to Holdrege to be closer to family.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Holdrege, serving on the Board of Christian Education, helping with the Wednesday Night Kids Club, and leading a Women’s Bible Study.
In 2021 she relocated to Omaha, Nebraska, and made her home with her daughter, Joetta, and family.
Ina June was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; one son in infancy, Ernest; one son-in-law, Lee Trivett; two granddaughters: Amber Raike; and Lindsay Whitaker; two brothers in infancy; two sisters: Edna (Victor) Einsphar; and Ruth (Nolan) Long; and one exchange student, Sabine.
Ina June is survived by her four daughters: Bertha Trivett of Lenexa, Kansas; Pamela (Ronald) Smith of Holdrege; Joetta (Scott) Raike of Omaha; and Judith Graser of Brule, Nebraska; Ernest’s children: Gail (Monty) Wagner; Jim Winkelmann; Cheryl Fox; two exchange students: Ute; and Silke; 19 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Dean (Rosie) Leopold of Loomis, Nebraska; and a host of nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.
A visitation will be held on Sunday, January 28, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with family greeting friends from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Nelson Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.
A memorial has been established in Ina June’s honor and is kindly suggested to the family for a later designation.
Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com
The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.