Ivan Winters

Winters, Ivan Lee

It is with great sorrow that the family of Ivan Lee Winters announce he has joined his beloved wife (Ruby) in the arms of our Lord on 9/22/25 at the age of 90. Although his presence will be greatly missed, we would like him to be remembered with joy, laughter & love. Ivan began is life in December of 1934 during the Great Depression in rural Vanduser, Missouri & was the son of Roy & Elsie Winters. His early life was filled with hardship brought on by the times, 7 siblings, and rural farm life. He later joined the US Air Force, met his future wife while on a double date with her sister, which was always a good story. After their courtship & during several tours of duty, which included: Spain, Scotland, Thailand, Vietnam, and several states (Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas) deployments; they became the proud parents of 5 children: Mark, Scott, Richard, Forrest & adopted their daughter Jeannette. They later settled in rural Indiana, where Ivan worked as a Postal clerk, received his Bachelor's degree from Indiana University, and ran a realtor business from home. Years later, after retirement and the loss of his beloved wife, Ivan moved to Dayton, Ohio, in 2021. To those who knew him, he was always quick to laugh, joke & tell a good story. To his family, we remember his bad jokes, cautious generosity, readiness to help when he saw a need, and willingness to be the originator or a part of a good prank. A good example of this was once, after a long day of working outdoors, he asked his son what he would like at the drive-thru. He replied, 'whatever you are getting', thinking it would be the usual larger burger meal, as neither had much to eat and were hungry. Imagine the surprise when Dad ordered two hamburgers & 2 small cokes for both of them because it was his turn to pay. His advice & help looked different to each of us as we each had different needs. Some of his most memorable sayings and teachings included, "That is also true," "There is such a thing as being too honest," "Remember, we were once as poor as church mice," and "You can be stronger than them." He also taught us the value of money, was known for his ability to find a good deal, and always wanted to make sure our pantry was stocked. Although he loved a good laugh & was very approachable, he was also very private. He taught us that you didn't always have to be loud to be heard, and love can be found in silence. At the end of the day, we always knew if we fell into hard times or needed something, dad was there for us. And while life will never quite be the same knowing our Dad is not here with us on earth, I think his laughter is what I will miss the most. His surviving family includes siblings Donald & Linda; children Mark, Scott, Rich, Forrest & Jeannette; grandchildren Kimberly, Elizabeth, Takada, Isaac, William, Heather, Matt, Christopher & Jordan; and great-grandchildren Madison, Elijah, Jaison, Carter, Brody, Henley, Scott, Jimmy, Chloe, Emma & Sophie. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM at the Tobias Funeral Home - Beavercreek Chapel on Saturday, October 4, 2025 . Tobias Funeral Home, Beavercreek