Obituary of Kelly Winton

Kelly Winton, 77, a resident of Warren, formerly of Ferndale, died Friday, October 27, 2017. He was born January 16, 1940 in Pelham, Tennessee to Claude and Nell Winton.

As a young boy, Kelly was diagnosed with polio and spent his early years at the Junior League Home for Crippled Children and with his family in Pelham, TN. In the mid- 1950s, he and his family moved to Michigan where he moved next door to Patricia Hirsch. One day, Patricia asked her new neighbor if she could borrow his family’s lawnmower – the rest is history. In 1959, Kelly graduated from Ferndale High School and shortly thereafter he and Patricia had their first child, Diane. After one year of college, he started working at various tool and die shops until he retired in 2001. After retirement, he started his own business, Handy Hauling. Being a hard worker, he also helped his daughter by sewing liners for her mitten business, Wear It Again Wool.

Kelly was a loving and generous Papa to his eleven grandchildren. After nearly every sporting event and school play, Kelly would always greet his grandkids with candy, kisses, and a “love ya more”. Kelly was an example that no matter your situation, you can achieve whatever you put your mind to. His hearty laugh reminded his grandkids to never take life too seriously and his work ethic taught them to never take anything for granted. Nothing will be able to replace their Papa who loved them deeply, graciously, and humbly.

Survived by his wife of 57 years, Patricia; children, Diane, Cynthia (Dave) Hughes, David (Deanna), Claude and J Paul (Robin); grandchildren, Ryan, Kelley, Landon, Michael, Shaun, Carolyn, Megan, Emma, Rachel, Nick and Thomas; great grandchildren, Jude, Jonas, Bella, Zander and Frankie; and brother, J L (Verna Ruth). Predeceased by siblings, Paul, Lewie, Edna Bonner, Glenn and Bobby Joe. Visitation Sunday, November 5th, 5 - 9 pm at Cumberland Funeral Home, 207 Mabee, Monteagle, TN 37356. Funeral service Monday, November 6th, 11 am at Bethel Church, Pelham, TN.

Interment Bethel Cemetery, Pelham, TN. Lunch to follow at Chapman Chapel, Pelham.

In lieu of flowers and to continue dad’s generous heart, we have two places we’d like to see donations made in his honor. The first is the Junior League Home for Crippled Children that provided extraordinary care and comfort for our dad, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Attn: Gift and Donor Services to benefit Junior League Child Life, 2525 West End Ave., Ste 450, Nashville, TN 37203. The second is also dear to our heart, Foundation Fighting Blindness – Michigan Vision Walk, Team: The BlueRae Crew www.visionwalk.org