Mary Hattie "Ahrens" Winkelmann

Funeral services for Mary Hattie (Ahrens) Winkelmann, 107, of Lufkin, will be held Friday, February 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at First Lutheran Church in Lufkin with Rev. Kenneth Bunge officiating. A graveside service will be held Friday, February 27, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. at Prairie Lea Cemetery in Brenham, Texas.

Mrs. Winkelmann was born on October 1, 1918, in the community of Welcome in Austin County, to the late Lydia (Wehring) and Herman Ahrens, Sr., and passed away on Thursday, February 19, 2026, in Lufkin. She was the eighth of 13 children. When she was still a young girl, the family moved to Brenham, TX where Herman Ahrens eventually bought a 400-acre farm. Mary learned the benefits of hard work as well as enjoying many fun times with her family. As was common with many families at that time, Mary went to school through the eighth grade and then settled into life working on the family farm.

During World War II, Mary went to Houston to work at Hughes Tool Company. She learned to run a large drill press that powered six drill bits. She was working on parts for the landing gear of the B-24 Liberator bomber as part of the "Rosie the Riveter" workforce. She often spoke with pride of her time working at Hughes Tool. She was able to send money home to her parents and managed to build a small herd of cattle.

When the war ended and the men returned to take over their old jobs, Mary returned to Brenham to work on the family farm. She eventually married Charles A. Winkelmann of Brenham. She had a daughter, Linda Marie, and a son, Lee Charles, while living in Brenham. Charles got a job in Houston with the Social Security Department, so the family moved to Houston in 1951. Life in the city did not appeal to Charles and Mary, so he transferred to the Social Security office in Lufkin in 1954. Charles eventually hired on with the U.S. Post Office. To help support her family, Mary went to work as a cook at the new Slack Elementary School where she was employed until retiring in 1989.

The Winkelmann family joined First Lutheran Church in the mid 1950's where Mary remained an active and devoted member. Mary loved working in her yard growing flowers. She loved meeting with friends and going out to eat. She loved playing Rummicub. Mary was able to appreciate and enjoy the simplest things in life and loved hearing of the experiences of others. She loved sports and was a huge fan of Texas A&M University.

She is survived by her daughter Linda Fults of Lufkin; son and daughter-in-law, Lee and Jan Winkelmann of Arlington; son and daughter-in-law, Roger and Kathryn Winkelmann of Bandera; son, Roy Winkelmann of Rusk; eleven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; youngest brother and sister-in-law, Herman, Jr. and Joyce Ahrens of Brenham; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mary is preceded in death by her husband, Charles; and daughter-in-law, Rachel Winkelmann.

The Winkelmann family would like to thank all of the staff at Pinnacle Senior Living for their loving care and a special thank you to the sitters she called "Mildred" (Yolanda, Verline, Carlicia, Patricia, Ashley, and Barbara) who brought Mary love, joy, comfort and companionship for her last months. We would also like to thank KJ, the nurse from Gentiva Hospice, and all of her support staff.

Special memorials may be made to First Lutheran Church, 1001 Atkinson Dr., Lufkin, TX 75901 or to Gentiva Hospice, 1022 S John Redditt Dr., Lufkin, TX 75904.

Pallbearers will be Nick Koehl, Taylor Koehl, Chuck Peterson, Ryan Peterson, Mike Taite, and David Taite.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, February 26, 2026, at Shafer Funeral Home in Lufkin.

Shafer Funeral Home, Lufkin directors.