Mary Jo Winans

Mary Jo Winans, 72, of Watervliet, passed away, Friday, August 10, 2007 at her home with her loving family at her side after a long, courageous seven year battle with cancer. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:00 P.M. Tuesday at The Chapel, 4250 Washington Ave., St. Joseph, with Rev. Philip Bubar officiating. Burial will follow at North Shore Memory Gardens. Friends may call from 5:00 until 8:00 P.M. Monday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Berrien County Cancer Service or Lakeland Oncology Radiation Department. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mrs. Winans was born June 8, 1935 in Maywood, IL to Lawrence & Emma (Gentilin) Dienes. She graduated from Watervliet High School in 1953, and attended Michigan State University for one year. On August 16, 1955, she married Eugene Winans at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Watervliet. Mary Jo was involved in trucking all of her working life in one way or another. She worked in sales, secretarial, managing, teaching and most recently as a driver, retiring from B&B Trucking of Kalamazoo, after many miles on the Nation’s Highways. In her spare time, she cherished the time spent with her loving family. Mary Jo is survived by her husband Eugene; her children-Wayne E. Winans, Julie A. (James) Zucker, Daniel L. Winans, Gregory M. (Linda) Winans, Patrick G. (Amy) Winans; grandchildren-Kimberly (Troy) Nelson, Andrew (Julie) Winans, Sara Mellinger, James Zucker, Tiffany Winans, Jordan (Olivia) Winans, Analyse Winans, Joshua Zucker, Tabitha Winans, Jacob Winans, Lindsey Winans, Emilea Winans, Lucas Winans, Tina Jaeger, Nicholas Jaeger; great-grandchildren-Brendan Nelson, Austin Nelson, Megan Nelson, Hailie Tarantino, Hannah Mellinger, Carter Boyer, Claire Winans, Jacob McKinney; brothers-Ralph W. (Anita) Dienes, and William A. (Carol) Dienes; and a sister-in-law Linda Dienes. She was preceded in death by her parents and by two brothers-Lawrence J. & David M. Dienes.