Gary A. Van Winkle

November 23, 2020

Gary A. Van Winkle, 73, of Woodbridge, VA, died peacefully November 23, 2020 at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center. Born and raised in Belleville, IL, Gary briefly lived in Gulfport, MS, attended Virginia Tech, and called Lake Ridge home for the past 44 years. He was a teacher at Gar-Field High School from 1973 until he moved to Hylton High School in 1991 where he worked until his retirement in 2000. Gary was a very active dad, including coaching his sons’ youth sports teams, playing games with their friends on Deepford Drive, going boating on the Occoquan River during the summers, and helping with homework and school projects. An Eagle Scout in his youth, he had a lifelong passion for the outdoors, frequently hiking trails around Virginia with his beloved dog, Zoe, traveling all over the US to explore the natural beauty of our National Parks, making annual trips to Myrtle Beach, Williamsburg, and Key West with his wife Margaret and family and friends, and visiting his many aunts, uncles, cousins, and their families, whom he remained close to for his entire life. Growing up in the St. Louis area, Gary was fan of Cardinals baseball, passed along his love of the Washington Redskins to his sons, and spent the last 15 years of his life as a diehard Washington Nationals fan. He rarely missed a game on TV, loved going to Nats Park with his family, and was overjoyed to see them win the 2019 World Series. He was preceded in death by his parents, Troy R. Van Winkle and Marion Van Winkle Case, stepfather Lloyd Case, brothers-in-law Jose Soria and Fred Heigl, and niece Kayla Heigl. Gary is survived by his loving and dedicated wife of 50 years, Margaret, and sons Troy and Bryan, daughter-in-law Edda, granddaughters Emi, Maryann, and Kate, sister Joyce Soria, stepsister Karen Heigl, stepbrother John Case, and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Information about services will be shared at a later time. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in his honor to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation to support others living with spinal cord injuries as Gary did for 13 years. www.christopherreeve.org