Benjamin "Ben" Winkels

Benjamin "Ben" Winkels, 30, of McIntire, passed away Sunday, March 29, 2026, at Mitchel County Regional Health Center.

A funeral service for Ben will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 6, 2026, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Osage with Pastor James Rockhill officiating. Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Meyer.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the service on Monday at Trinity Lutheran Church.

Benjamin Warren Winkels, the son of Keith and Jennifer (Rolland) Winkels, was born on August 11, 1995, in Osage, Iowa. Ben attended school in St. Ansgar and graduated high school in 2014. During school, Ben was very active with FFA.

Ben was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at the age of 6 and lived life to the fullest. He participated and won many wheelchair races through the Special Olympics. Ben enjoyed watching YouTube and Marvel movies. He also enjoyed International Harvester (IH) tractors and Ford vehicles. Above everything, Ben loved his family, especially his siblings and nephew.

Those left to cherish his memory include his parents, Keith and Jennifer Winkels; sister, Ruth (RD) Smith; nephew, David and anticipated nephew, Elijah; brother, Nick (Kelly) Winkels; aunts: Ginny Boerjan, Kathy Williams, Linda (Lloyd) Taylor, and Joni Meek; and uncle, Jim Rolland; along with many cousins, other family members, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Molly Winkels; paternal grandparents, Lambert and Dorothy Winkels; and maternal grandparents, Robin Rolland and Phyllis (John) Moss.

The family extends a heartfelt thank you to the EMTs, nurses, and doctors throughout the years for their compassion and care towards Ben.