Jerome Winig

Winig, Jerome
COLONIE - Jerome Winig, 95, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, October 23, 2025, with his loving wife by his side. Born in Albany, he was the son of the late Aaron and Jane (Burack) Winig. Jerry enjoyed a long and successful career as a salesman for Vestal Laboratories, where he spent over 30 years selling institutional cleaning products to hospitals, school districts, and large companies throughout N.Y. and New England. Most of his time was spent in the Capital District, where he grew up and continued to live his entire life. Rarely could you go anywhere with him and not meet someone he knew - and he never forgot a name or a face. Jerry pursued his hobbies with enthusiasm and curiosity. He and his best friend, Dick Krakower, once purchased a sailboat; after studying every sailing book he could find, his family quickly learned it was safer to admire the boat securely tied to the dock by one of the "400 knots" he'd mastered. Later, he earned his Ham Radio License, retiring the "Scarecrow" handle he had used on his CB while traveling for work. He spent a lot of time driving for work, often behind the wheel of one of his beloved "Family Trucksters" - station wagons with faux-wood paneling, inspired, as his family joked, by Clark Griswold. Webster's Dictionary could have listed Jerry under the word hangry, which was easily cured by Ritz crackers with peanut butter, chocolate chip cookies, or a plate of meatloaf. There's was a real twinkle in his eye when he was enjoying a good meal. A proud member of the Masons for more than 50 years, Jerry also enjoyed time with his informal "political think tank" over coffee and bagels at Uncommon Grounds. He had many favorite sayings, none more famous in his family than "G.G." - Great if you do, and great if you don't, no pressure. He appreciated everything in its place, and his family took great joy in moving things just slightly to see if he'd notice. He taught patience - or perhaps impatience - as an art form, reminding everyone that there's no need to bottle things up: "Blow your top off in the privacy of your office; five minutes later, walk out like nothing happened, and you'll feel so much better." And when things went wrong, his calm refrain - "Stay cool, my boy," which meant everyone's okay, so its going to be ok. "Don't sweat the big stuff" became a family philosophy. Jerry is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Madeleine Winig; his devoted children, Steven (Carol) Winig, Jay Winig and Emily Nishi-Winig, Elizabeth Deady, and James (Bonni) Deady; his cherished grandchildren, Kristin (Webb) Melton, Nicholas Deady and Caitlin Lentlie, Brenden (Amanda) Deady, Seiji, Kai, Koji, and Imari Winig; and his great-grandchildren, Tenley and Ellery Melton. Funeral services for Jerry will be held on Tuesday, October 28, at 11:00 a.m., in the Chapel at Memory Gardens Cemetery, 983 Watervliet Shaker Road, Colonie, N.Y.
To leave a message of condolence for the family online, please visit LevineMemorialChapel.com