Thomas John Winkler, age 79, of Isanti passed away with his family by his side November 11, 2017 at New Perspective Assisted Living in Roseville after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, November 15th at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 207 Whiskey Rd NW, Isanti. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the Mass and also from 5:00 – 7:00 P.M. Tuesday, November 14th ALSO AT THE CHURCH. (A prayer service will be held at the beginning of the visitation Tuesday night, 5:00 P.M.) Interment will be in Christ the King Catholic Cemetery in Cambridge with Military Honors provided by Rum River VFW Post #2735 of Isanti.
Thomas John Winkler 10/6/38-11/11/17
After a long battle with Alzheimer’s, Tom passed peacefully from this life to the next surrounded
by his family including Carole, his beloved wife of more than 53 years. Tom and Carole raised
four children, with now eight grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.
Tom grew up in St Paul’s Highland Park. A mechanical engineer with a keen analytical mind,
he retired his long career at Medtronic where he worked on creating products that would
extend the lives of others. He was the author of thirteen separate patents for Medtronic’s
cardiac program. He also was an accomplished carpenter and builder, including building Tom
and Carole’s cabin on the shores of beautiful Leech Lake, which they’ve maintained since
1965. Tom loved and appreciated all of God’s creation as exhibited by the birds he fed, horses
to whom he would whisper, and the sun setting beneath his cottonwoods over the creek.
More than anything, Tom loved being with his family, where he was always quick with his oneliners, never taking himself or the situation too seriously. Even Alzheimers could not diminish Tom’s happiness and joy for life – he smiled and joked all the way to the end. He was also a devoutly religious man, and his association with the Catholic faith and especially his
association with St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church was a cornerstone for both he and Carole.
Tom was loved very much by his family and will be deeply missed, especially by his wife
Carole; daughters Mary (Todd) Guerrero, Barb (Tom) Huot, and Jen (Tom) Dickerson, and son
Chuck Winkler (Marnee Knetsch); two sisters Mary Louise Matthews, and Lois (Larry)
Hagemeyer; grandchildren, Ted, Nick, and Will Guerrero, Jessica (Nick) Lahti, Kate (Mark) Doll, and Allie (Travis) Fleitman, and Simon and Grace Dickerson; great-grandchildren, Clara, Mabel, George, Emma and Agnes; and by many other relatives and friends. His life well lived will be carried on through his family and those he touched.
Grandpa was a loving man – to his wife, kids and grandchildren. Not a mean bone in his body. He was also strong as an ox – hands of steel. He loved dogs, horses and birds – so that tells a lot about a man. Even in his Alzheimer’s when he no longer knew my name, I’ll always remember when, as we were looking out over the sun setting over Leech Lake, his comment that we were looking “at the face of God.” RIP Grandpa.