Iona Grace Winkler

Iona Grace Winkler, age 90, a life-long resident of Dover, died Monday, February 2, 2015, in Park Village Health Care Center, following a brief illness.

Born September 21, 1924, she was a daughter of the late Harry L. and Delpha I. (Gerber) Lengler. Iona graduated from Dover High School in 1941 at the young age of sixteen, and she went on to attend Canton Business School in order to become a secretary. She was employed in the office of Superior Dairy at Canton. Iona was wed to Walter D. Winkler on June 2, 1945. The couple owned and operated Wink's Mart at Dover for many years. They reared three children and shared fifty-three years of marriage prior to Walter's passing on October 25, 1998.

Iona and Walter graciously hosted Thanksgiving dinner for family and friends in their home for many years. After their children were grown, Iona and Walter hosted two exchange students from Brazil, Salvador Castriquini and Andrea Dorca. Later, when Salvador was to be married, Iona and Walter made a memorable trip to Brazil to attend the wedding and to stand as god-parents for Salvador.

Iona was a faithful member of Ruslin Hills Church at Dover, where she taught Sunday school for thirty years, and was a member of the Women's Guild and the Ladies' Quilting Group. Additionally, Iona served as president of the Parent-Teacher Association at the former Dover Sixth Street School, and was a life-member of the P.T.A. She was a kind and giving soul who was always there for others.

Survivors include her daughters, Sandra Kay (husband, Don) Smith of New Philadelphia, and Linda Sue (husband, Jack Gray) Winkler of Richmond, Virginia; her son, Walter Steven (wife, Nancy) Winkler of Houston, Texas; her grandchildren, Matthew Meese, Melissa (husband, Pat) O'Connell, Daisy (husband, Brad Horn) Winkler, Traci (husband, Kurt) Smith and Doug (wife, Shannon) Smith; her great-grandchildren, Alyshia and Mitchell Meese, Kooper, Jake, Camryn, Kylie and Kevin Smith; her sisters, Edna Clay of Dover, and Bonnie (husband, Richard) McFeeders of Bolivar; her nieces and nephews; and her many friends at Park Village a place she so much enjoyed including her very dear friend, Lloyd Roth.

Besides her parents, and her husband, Walter, Iona was preceded in death by her infant son, Larry Winkler; her son-in-law, Dale Meese; and her brother, Harold Lengler.

Family and friends are invited to call at the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory at Dover on Thursday, February 5, 4 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held Friday, February 6, at 1:30 p.m. in the funeral home with Pastor Duane Houser officiating. Burial will be in Dover Burial Park. Following the committal, there will be a luncheon in the Toland-Herzig Monarch Center on the Boulevard at Dover. To sign an online guestbook and share a fond memory of Iona, please visit the Obituaries and Flowers link on the funeral home's website.

The family suggests that contributions in Iona's memory be made to Ruslin Hills Church, 5839 Ruslin Hills Rd., Dover, Ohio 44622.