Winifred E. "Winnie" Mack, 101, Hartley

A funeral service for Winifred E. “Winnie” Mack was held Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hartley. Pastor Chris Nitzel officiated.

Pallbearers were Gary Schade, Brian Schade, Donald Nolte, Mike Hamm, Jim Wernimont and Leon Johnson. Honorary pallbearers were Julie Riesenberg, Loura Porter, Louise Johnson, Larry Johnson, Cheryl Wernimont, Charlene Heschke and Joan Peters. Interment was at Pleasant View Cemetery in Hartley. Hartley Funeral Home assisted with the arrangements.

Winifred Eileen “Winnie” Mack was born June 25, 1921 in Harcourt, to Walfred and Genevieve (Youngren) Johnson. She was baptized as an infant and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Bethany Lutheran Church in Laurens when she was 13 years old.

When she was a young girl, Winnie and her family moved to Palmer where her father was employed as an auto mechanic. Her mother also found work playing piano to accompany silent films shown at the Palmer Opera House. Of course, Winnie and her sister, Carol, went with their mother so they were able to enjoy the movies as well!

Winnie completed first and second grades at Palmer Public School and then finished third through eighth grades at a country school as her family had moved to a farm west of Palmer. Winnie began ninth grade at Mallard Public School when the family relocated to a farm near Mallard. She graduated in 1939.

Following graduation, Winnie moved to Dayton, Ohio with her aunt and uncle. There she took a position as a Civil Service secretary with the Army Air Force at Wright Field. She served in this capacity under Gen. K.B. Wolfe and Gen. Lester Miller from 1941-1945 during World War II. In 1946 with the war finally over, Winnie transferred to Hickam Air Force Base at Honolulu, Hawaii where she met and married Jack Seybold, of Cleveland, Ohio. They had one son, Shawn Steven.

When the marriage ended, she returned to the United States and came back to Laurens. Using the office skills learned from her time in the military, Winnie was employed as secretary for a local manufacturing company. While working in Laurens, she met a gentleman by the name of Elmer Carl Mack, of Pomeroy. The couple was united in marriage on Dec. 10, 1950, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Laurens.

Winnie and Elmer farmed the Michael C. Mack place for seven years and then moved to Pomeroy when Elmer accepted a position there with Thermogas. After 11 years the family relocated with the same company to Hartley until Elmer’s retirement in 1982. With working days behind them, Elmer and Winnie began thinking about milder winter temperatures, so in June of the same year they moved to Cherokee Village, Ark. The next 10-1/2 years were spent relaxing, enjoying the scenery and making new acquaintances. They moved back to Hartley in 1992, where they spent the remainder of their lives near old friends and familiar faces. Over the course of their 62 years together, Winnie and Elmer had traveled throughout the United States and Canada seeing many wonderful places, yet it was always good to be back home.

Her son, Shawn, passed away in February of 2005, and Elmer in March of 2013. Winnie continued to live at the home she and Elmer had made together in Hartley.

Winnie was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit #288, both in Hartley. She served as the Hartley Bicentennial Chair in 1976 and was a member of the Hartley Centennial Committee in 1979. She contributed to her community by writing human interest stories for the Hartley Sentinel newspaper, not forgetting to point out all the wonderful things the city of Hartley has to offer for its residents. Knitting, crocheting and sewing were among her many talents, as well as painting in acrylics. She enjoyed swimming, water exercise and going for long walks. And yes, she did love to wear hats and would do so on many occasions!

Winnie passed from this life on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, at the age of 101 years. She now joins her husband, Elmer; her son, Shawn; her parents; sisters: Barbara and Carol, brother, Wilbur, and all their spouses; other relatives and many dear friends.

She is survived by many nieces and nephews and their spouses; other relatives and close friends.