Gertrude Mildred (Hoffmeister) Winter (93) of Altamont

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Published on November 20 2017 8:23 am

Gertrude Mildred (Hoffmeister) Winter, 93, of Altamont died at 12:22am Saturday, November 18, 2017 in Lutheran Care Center in Altamont.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, November 22, at 10:00 am at St. John's Lutheran Church in Effingham with Rev. Theodore Gall officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 7pm Tuesday at Kull Funeral Chapel in Altamont and from 9 to 10am Wednesday at the church. Burial will be in Arborcrest Memorial Park, Effingham. Memorials may be directed to St. John’s Lutheran Church, Lutheran Care Center, or donor’s choice.

Gertrude was born May 23, 1924 in Mt. Pulaski, Illinois, the eldest child of Adolph and Martha (Vandre) Hoffmeister. She was baptized on June 1, 1924, at Zion Lutheran Church in Mt. Pulaski. She was confirmed on April 10, 1938 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, rural Altamont. Gertrude married Samuel Paul Winter at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Easter Sunday afternoon, April 21, 1946. The Lord blessed their marriage of 56 years with three children, Patricia, Marilyn, and Howard. During this time, the family attended St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, west of Altamont, where Gertrude was a Sunday School teacher and a member of the Ladies Aid. Gertrude was a dedicated wife & mother while also working out of the home during her husband’s employment as an over the road truck driver. She was a Cub Scout leader and was a member of Parent Teacher Association and Effingham County Homemakers Association. In the early 1970s, Sam’s employer transferred him to Louisville, Kentucky, where they resided for almost 20 years. Gertrude was active in church organizations at Pilgrim Lutheran and Concordia Lutheran churches. Sam and Gertrude made many friends in Louisville, and their home was always open and welcoming to their family and friends. After Sam’s retirement in 1990, they returned to Illinois and resided in Effingham where she was a member of St. John’s Ladies Aid, Golden Eagles, and Braille Center. Gertrude was blessed with wonderful neighbors especially her dear friend Mary Ellen Eversman. Gertrude & Mary Ellen remained in contact by phone each day even after Gertrude moved to Luther Terrace Assisted Living in Altamont in 2015. While at the Terrace and Lutheran Care Center, Marsha Nolan also became a devoted friend.

Gertrude leaves to mourn in her passing her daughter, Patricia (husband, Larry) Milleville of Effingham, and her son Howard (wife, Deb) Winter of Altamont; also her grandchildren Brian (girlfriend, Stephanie Rieman) Milleville, Sara (husband Dr. Ryan) Milleville-Jennings, Beth (husband, Cassidy) Winter-Killian, Carie (husband, Corey) Winter-Pals, and Neil (wife, Lynn) Winter; great-grandchildren Atticus and Adia Jennings, Cooper and Chase Pals, and Nolan and Reagan Winter; her dear sister Irene Esch of Effingham; special nieces and nephews, and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents Adolph and Martha Hoffmeister, husband Sam Winter, daughter Marilyn (husband, Marvin) Wendling, sister Leona Reynolds, infant sister Evelyn Hoffmeister, brother in law Harold Esch, and nephew Mark Esch.