Ruth Turner Winkler

Ruth Evelyn Winkler, age 78 passed peacefully on July 28, 2022. She was born in Houston, Texas on June 14, 1944to her loving parents Lester and Eunice Turner. Ruth's family owned a Western Auto store in Lufkin, Texas as Ruth's father was a traveling salesman and representative for the company. She learned many skills and other valuable lessons working with people at an early age in the store and beyond. She enjoyed playing tennis and attending church in her teenage years. After high school, Ruth attended Texas A&I college in Kingsville, Texas. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Reading and English so that she could become a certified schoolteacher in the State of Texas. She was passionate about teaching teens how to read and write. She began teaching school in Premont, Texas and later in Harlingen in her early 20's. She taught Reading and English in her mid-30's at Louise Jr. High, in Louise, Texas. She taught 9th grade English and Reading at Galena Park North Shore High, in Houston, Texas. After raising her kids, she later taught Reading at Ferris Jr. High, in Ferris, Texas. Ruth was even highly respected and honored by some of her students on one occasion. Some students gave her a short piece of iron rebar as a present. Because they felt she commanded the classroom as one with an iron scepter.

Ruth enjoyed poetry writing as a hobby. She spent many years writing about her personal reflections on life and other family events that inspired her on many occasions. She felt her poetry was therapeutic and helped her see life through her feelings and thoughts. She was also well known for her "East Texas" adages that she rehearsed repeatedly as teachable moments with her kids and others as a part of her sparkling outgoing personality. She didn't "fall off a Turnip truck yesterday" when investigating one of her own kids or one of her student's embellished stories as a factual event. If she needed to get her "American flag out to declare independence" she would. She enjoyed learning and using "37-dollar Kissinger words" as apropos.

Another part of Ruth's sparkling and outgoing personality was for her to enjoy life when she could. She was always eager to teach her favorite Spanish music song since she fell in love with the culture and spoken the Spanish language fluently for years. While she had no formal experience or training to teach music, she nevertheless enjoyed mariachi bands and singing with complete strangers. She frequented Tex-Mex restaurants in several Texas cities such as Houston, and Victoria, Texas when she discovered it was "mariachi night". She carried her tradition to San Diego, California when she spent some time there visiting her grandkids. "Jalisco" was her favorite song she heard when traveled through Monterrey and Mexico City, Mexico among the other towns in the mid 70's and early 80's when on vacation enjoying the cultural hospitality and real Mexican cuisine. If a mariachi band did not know the "Jalisco" song she would get up and teach it to them while encouraging everyone to sing together in the restaurant or venue she attended. She mesmerized everyone with her people skills and had no reservations about karaoke before it was a popular practice. She was the karaoke "Jalisco" queen of all time as far as we are concerned.

Ruth was a follower of Jesus Christ from an early age in childhood. She volunteered service in many different capacities throughout her life. She helped the elderly which was one of her favorite things to do. She was involved mainly in Methodist Churches in several locations throughout Texas where she lived. She also attended other churches such as City Harvest Church in Victoria, Texas. She professed her faith on more than one occasion. She was confident her final destination was with Jesus Christ when she departed this life. 

Ruth is survived by her sister Mary Face, and niece Belinda and children. Ruth's son Tracy Winkler, daughter-in-law Cathy and their children Ryan, Kaelyn, Joshua and Abby. Her daughter Carol Winkler and her kids, Perry Lee, Kimberlee, and Dan. Ruth is survived by several friends who were close to her for many years. Some have deceased, but Ruth didn't know a stranger unless they didn't want to be known.

A celebration of life service will be conducted at 10:00 am in the morning on Saturday the 27th of August at City Harvest Church, 2802 Lone Tree Rd, Victoria, TX 77901 with the Reverend Roy Martinez officiating. We will be celebrating her homecoming as she requested that we would upon her departure. In lieu of flowers, though we welcome them we would request that any charitable contributions upon her memory such as an act of kindness or deed be done in remembrance of Ruth Winkler or monetary donated to the fund of City Harvest Church for mission outreach or a charity of your choice.

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