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Dec 17th, 1929 - Dec 29th, 2019Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Saturday, January 4, 2020, at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Flora
Visitation: 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Friday evening, January 3, 2020, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home
Rosary: 8 p.m. Friday evening at the funeral home
Interment: St. Stephen Cemetery, Flora
Raymond “Ray” R. Winka, age 90, of Flora, Illinois, passed away early Sunday morning, December 29, 2019.
He was born December 17, 1929, in Flora, the son of Theodore and Mary (Rozanski) Winka. He was united in marriage to Irene V. Anderson on January 14, 1961, at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Flora and they have shared 58 wedding anniversaries together.
Ray was a graduate of Flora High School and served in the Army during the Korean War. He worked at J.C. Borah Motor Sales, Sparton Manufacturing, First National Bank, and retired from World Color Press in Effingham after 23 years. He was an active member in his church, St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, and was a 4th Degree Knight in the Knights of Columbus for years.
He was an avid sports fan and loved coaching his son’s ball teams. He also loved watching his Chicago Bears, Fighting Irish, and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was known for his love of gardening and raised strawberries for many years. He loved the outdoors and spent a lot of time teaching his sons to hunt and fish and enjoyed his fall trips to the river with his daughter looking for hickory nuts.
He is survived by his wife: Irene Winka of Flora; 5 children: Mike (Tina) Winka of Flora, Debbie Keller of Olney, Mark (Janet) Winka of Xenia, Tracy Winka of St. Louis, MO, and Brent Winka of Flora; 8 grandchildren: Lindsay Keller Andrews, Josh Winka, Matthew Winka, Hailey Winka, Ryan Winka, Nicholas Winka, Brooke Winka, and Jordan Winka; and 3 great-grandchildren: Keller, Harper, and Nora, with a 4th on the way.
He was preceded in death by his parents and 13 siblings, with one surviving sister, Lucille Winka, in Littleton, Colorado.
Ray was loved by everyone who met him and always had a story to share. He will be deeply missed.
Visitation will be from 4:00 to 8: 00 p.m. Friday evening, January 3, 2020, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home in Flora, with a Rosary Service to begin at 8:00 p.m. A Funeral Mass is to be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, January 4, 2020, at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Flora, with Father Charles Anyaoku and Father James Nall concelebrating. Burial will follow in St. Stephen Cemetery with the presentation of military funeral honors. Memorial donations are suggested to Clay County Cutters and Strutters JAKES event or Clay County Cancer Crusaders and will be accepted through the funeral home.
Jul 21, 1931 - Nov 18, 2024
Nov 15, 1940 - Nov 9, 2024
Sep 5, 1961 - Oct 31, 2024
Nov 14, 1941 - Oct 30, 2024
Nov 28, 1936 - Oct 29, 2024
So sorry for your loss. Will always cherish the memories made growing up near such a wonderful man. Always remember him working in the strawberry patch. He will be missed by all who knew him,
So sorry for your loss. Will always cherish the memories made growing up near such a wonderful man. Always remember him working in the strawberry patch. He will be missed by all who knew him,
Ray was such a nice man and a stellar example of how to live a good life. Prayers for all the family to find peace in the coming days.
God bless your soul Ray, and may He provide your loved ones with the comfort of your salvation through your beautiful life.
Fondly remembered as my first Little League coach. He made a lasting positive impression.
We are sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Keeping all of you in our thoughts and prayers. What a great father and husband. Rest in peace, Ray. We love you all.
So sad to learn of Ray's passing. May our Heavenly Father comfort you now and in the days to come.
What a fine family Mr. Ray Winka headed up! We are so sorry for your loss. A loss to so many whether family or friends.
Sending heartfelt condolences to you Aunt Irene and to my cousins. I will always remember Uncle Ray as a gentle soul with a most infectious laugh, just like his sister Stella, my Mom. I believe Mom has welcomed her brother into heaven and they are sharing wonderful stories and watching over us. May God hold you all gently in the palm of His hand. 🙏🏻❤️ Love from your niece and cousin, Anita
Irene, Mike, Tina and family, So sorry to hear of Ray’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
So very sorry for your loss my thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
So Sorry for ur Loss, Ray was a Good Person inside and out, he would do anything for anyone! His memory will live on in the lives of Many for sure!!!
Always a gentleman! Bless his Spirit!
What a great guy, who raised an amazing family. Keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers. Melody
My thoughts and prayers are with your family. May God comfort you.
So sorry to Ray's family for the loss of a great man and good friend. I remember Ray working in the bank at Flora as a youth and I worked with Ray at WCP in Effingham. Ray was always stopping me with a story about Flora or his kids. My friend, keep your gardening growing in Heaven, see you later.
So very sorry for your loss
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you. So many wonderful memories with Ray and your entire family growing up.
So very sorry to the Winka family for your loss. Ray was such a wonderful man. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
A good Christian man. He was my sponsor when I was Confirmed in 1954. My family and I thought a lot of Ray.
Irene and family, so very sorry to hear of Ray's passing. He was a great neighbor and a wonderful gardener, and will be so missed in the neighborhood. My prayers are with you all.
To the entire Winka Family, you have our deepest sympathy on the loss of Ray. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Ray will be missed by many.. A pillar of the community, a pillar of the Church, ant the head of a great family.. Rest in peace good and faithful one..
Oh how I’m going to miss you my sweet friend. The way you thanked me for doing the littlest favor for you. The praise I got for bringing you a glass of tea. I’m gonna miss you so much. You were one of my favorites and I was one of yours. You always called me your muscles. The way your face lit up when my daughter came in your room and sang to you on Christmas Eve will be a image I’ll cherish forever. Farewell my friend!!!
Always friendly! Loved his smile & seeing with pretty wife Irene.
So sorry for your loss. Sending prayers.
My heart thoughts and prayers go out to you Mrs Irene and your beautiful family. My God comfort you and give you strength during his time of grief. Remember to pray constantly and ask for Gods guidance and reassurance in this difficult time ❤
Dear Winka Family, I am so sorry for your loss, I just learned of Ray’s passing. My heart is heavy, as is most of the community. I remember all of the times he was willing to spend with us kids, learning to play little league as well as his stories he would tell. I still remember them all. Brent, we cherish each of those moment we have with our parents. I too recently lost that special person to me, My Dear Sweet Mother, she and Ray shared common characteristics – The love of helping others and joy of seeing it paid forward. Sending my Sincere Condolences to the Winka Family during this time.
Ray was the funniest man alive and told the best fishing stories of all time, what an awesome guy. Thoughts with the family!
Praying for you all!!! May God give you comfort and peace!!!
Sorry for your loss.
Ray was my direct boss at Crossroads Press. We had many good laughs together in the bindery office. Ray always talked about his family and raising his strawberries. We had many good times together with the bindery office group. My sympathy to Ray's family.
My condolences on your loss of a good man. I've not seen Ray in years, but I remember him as being solid in his goodness. My mother worked with Ray both at Sparton and the First National Bank, and she thought the world of him. I also worked planting strawberries for him somewhere before 1970. I am sorry to see Ray leave us, but grateful that he was with us so long.
So sorry for your family’s loss. He was a super guy. Loved going to sporting events with his Josh and my Josh participating in summer and school sports together
I worked with Ray at World Color Press and he was so much fun to work with. We joked a lot and kidded the girls in the office a lot. He was a fine man to work with and I truly enjoyed my time with him.
Condolences to the Winka family! You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Frank & Bright Funeral Home
and Cremation Services
500 North Main Street
Flora, Illinois 62839
Phone : (618) 662-2141
Fax: (618) 662-4600
Email: [email protected]
