Sophia L. Winkler

Sallie Winkler, 84, of Joplin, Missouri, passed away on February 3, 2024, surrounded by her loved ones at the hospital. She lived a full life filled with happiness, positivity, and joy. Sallie will be remembered fondly by her husband, children, grandchildren, and many other family members and friends. She was deeply committed to educating her family in the Catholic faith, carrying forward the legacy of the excellent Catholic education she had received. Sallie was devoted to teaching the faith, preparing students for First Communion and Confirmation, and providing them with a strong foundation in Church doctrine. As a devoted military wife for most of her life, Sallie balanced the demands of raising a family of six, supplementing the family income, and passionately serving the Catholic Church. Due to her husband's frequent deployments, she became an independent, confident decision-maker and a loving, efficient mother, all while maintaining an unmistakable edge. One memorable deployment, Sallie shocked her husband by selling their house, moving the family, and having him unpack the boxes upon his return. During this time, Sallie worked to help support her family in various capacities, including positions with the phone company, doctor's offices, the Red Cross, and the Church. When the family retired from military life, Sallie took on leadership roles within the Church, serving on the parish council, the liturgy committee, and as a Eucharistic Minister. Professionally, she worked for British CPAI, the world’s largest patent and trademark renewal firm at the time, and retired 15 years later as the prestigious representative to the U.S. Patent Office, managing their largest account. This remarkable accomplishment was a point of pride for her and her family. Sallie had a deep appreciation for life’s simple pleasures, which are now cherished in her family’s memories. She loved reading, completing crossword puzzles, and enjoying a tall glass of unsweetened iced tea (more ice than tea, never enough ice). A true midwesterner, Sallie savored a medium-rare ribeye steak, corn on the cob, and a bowl of vanilla ice cream topped with red Spanish peanuts and chocolate syrup. She was always ready for cheerful happy hour toast with George Dickel or a Tito’s dirty martini — all while relaxing on the deck, watching the birds (her beloved, King Tutt the woodpecker) like she was the queen of her own little aviary. Sunflowers were her favorite flower, and they will always remind her loved ones of her warmth and beauty. Sallie was an only child, and was preceded in death by daughter Christy Burch. She leaves behind her devoted husband Horst, whom she was married to for 51 fruitful years; her children Katie Hagen (Steve), Kelly Burch Gloden (John), Brian Winkler (Tanya Steinman) and adult grandchildren, Paige Hagen, Anna Hagen, Luke Hagen, Audrey Steinman and Julia Steinman. A funeral service will be held on Friday, February 21, 2025, at 11:00 AM at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, 12409 Henderson Rd, Clifton, VA 20124. Interment will follow at National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico, 18424 Joplin Rd, Triangle, VA 22172. A reception will take place from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM at the Old Hickory Golf Club House, 11921 Chanceford Dr, Woodbridge, VA 22192. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Little Sisters of the Poor, DC chapter, at Little Sisters of the Poor – Washington, DC. Sallie’s legacy of love, service, and devotion will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

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Sophia L. Winkler

November 6, 1940 - February 3, 2025