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Gary Winters Obituary
Born in Arkansas and raised in California, Gary proudly carried the spirit of the Arkansas Razorbacks, earning his degree in electrical engineering like his father before him from the University of Arkansas in 1972. There, he met his beloved wife, Karen, with whom he shared a joyful 55 years of marriage. Gary delighted in surprising Karen with spontaneous road trips, packing their bags and setting off for new adventures.
Though his career often took him away from home, Gary made lasting friendships wherever he went, volunteering for local events, Explorer Scouts, and lending a hand to those in need. After the family relocated to South Florida, he embraced triathlons and even organized mini triathlons for neighborhood children.
A man of diverse interests, Gary enjoyed playing chess and bridge, sailing on the open water, admiring the Wright Brothers and Frank Lloyd Wright, and was a train enthusiast with a special fondness for the Norfolk & Western 611. His quick wit and collection of Dad Jokes were well-known among family and friends. He was an incredibly talented piano player, though he never looked at a single sheet of music. He loved scuba diving, and was an avid photographer. His proudest achievement was the Frank Lloyd Wright-style home he designed and helped build in Spring City.
Gary is preceded in death by his father, Paul, and his mother, Mavis of Trumann, Arkansas. He is survived by his wife, Karen, of Spring City; his brother Jim of Coconut Creek, Florida; his son Daniel, wife Jourdan, and their children Luke and Rosemary of Marietta, Georgia; his son Scott and wife Kristen of Milton, Florida; and his daughter Laura (Zimbrick) and husband Brett of Knoxville, Tennessee. His family will miss him beyond measure.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Khan Academy, a free online education resource at khanacademy.org.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
2 Entries
Ron Rowley
September 9, 2024
My condolences to the Winters family on Gary´s passing.
We were friends and professional colleagues for over 50 years beginning at the Peach Bottom Nuclear Power Station in Pennsylvania as part of a team of Bechtel startup engineers working to bring the plant into operation. Gary was the youngest in our group of about 30 engineers but stood out right from the start. He was a smart electrical engineer willing to learn and contribute his best effort, as well as being personally engaging. We worked together on several plant systems. I was impressed by how conscientious and mature he was often bringing his unique wit to even serious situations.
We both went on to other assignments with Bechtel but kept in touch, often to share information we sometimes could use from each other projects. A few years later, I started my own engineering consulting company. Gary was high on the list of people I wanted to bring on board when the opportunity came and over the following decades, we had several opportunities to work together again around the US and even internationally. Professionally, Gary was a true subject matter expert on the electrical systems of power plants. He taught me a lot and was always available to provide advice to others dealing with similar issues.
Continuously relocating to different projects can be trying. Gary and Karen suffered through Hurricane Andrew while assigned to a nuclear plant in South Florida. A more positive experience was on an assignment in Wisconsin. Gary gave me a tour of a house he rented designed by Frank Lloyd Wright after which he modeled his Tennessee residence. He later supported two important clients in Spain with consulting services.
I can go on and on praising Gary´s technical competence and work ethic. He was also talented in so many other ways. It was a privilege and a pleasure to work with him, but I will always most remember and miss Gary as my good friend.
Ron Rowley
New Orleans
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Daniel Winters
August 7, 2024
I see a lot of him in my own life. I´ve always been driven to understand how things work and build anything I can get my hands on. He was a great father, and always wanted to be involved in our lives and build experiences with us. We will miss him dearly.
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