Ellen L. Winter

Ellen L. Winter (nee Flannery), age 75 of Portage, died on November 10, 2024. She was born on June 4, 1949, in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Francis and Mary (FitzGerald) Flannery. Ellen was a graduate of Villa Angela High School, Ursuline College, and received her master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Pennsylvania. At a holiday party in 1979, she met Henry Winter and the two hit it off immediately. They were married in 1981 and the couple moved to Kalamazoo. After teaching in the Occupational Therapy Department at Western Michigan University for several years, Ellen became an occupational therapist and later special education supervisor at the CTC for the Van Buren ISD, where she worked for approximately 30 years. Ellen was very involved in the Temple B’Nai Israel as co-Director of the Religious School and President of the Board, as well as serving on several different committees over the years. She loved reading and enjoyed her book club meetings with the Tiaras. Ellen was very artistic and took classes at the KIA, where she found colored pencils to be her favorite medium. 

Her family includes her husband Henry Winter; her son, Josh (Katie) Winter; her grandsons: Bradley Winter and Shane Winter; her siblings: Kathleen O.S.U., Kevin S.J, Ruth (Joe Pales) Flannery, Patricia (Chrit) Jamin, Noreen (John) Ranally, Brian Flannery, Sheila Flannery, Sara-Beth Deaton, and Colleen (Steve) Takagishi; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her beloved daughter Shana and her parents. 

Her funeral service will be held on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at 11:00 AM, at the Temple B’Nai Israel, 4409 Grand Prairie Rd, Kalamazoo, MI 49006, with an hour for visitation from 10:00-11:00 AM. Burial will follow services at Jewish Mountain Home Cemetery. 

In memory of Ellen, donations may be made to the “Temple B’nai Israel Endowment Fund” (of which Ellen was the co-chair) or to the “Shana Winter Jewish Religious Education Fund” at https://www.templebnaiisrael.com/donate, or to NowKalamazoo at NowKalamazoo.org.

Please share memories of Ellen with her family at www.langelands.com