Jennifer “Jenny” Grace Winkler
Jennifer “Jenny” Grace Winkle
Jennifer “Jenny” Grace Winkler, 56, of Seattle, Washington, passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on December 30th, 2024.
Jenny grew up in shoreline and graduated from Shoreline High School. She attended Western Washington University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in History, Master of Arts in History and a Certification in Archives and Records Management.
Jenny dedicated herself by contributing to the community throughout her life. For 28 years she charted her career path towards civil service. She started working at King County Elections department, then moved onto the University of Washington Records Management office where she would meet her new lifelong friend and mentor. Later, Jenny took on a new challenge with the City of Seattle to develop a Records Management Program and remained there as the City Records Manager for over two decades. As a member of ARMA “Association of Records Managers and Administrators” she promoted the field giving her knowledge and time to professional development and training record analysts even after she retired from civil service.
Jenny loved getting involved and donating her personal energy and expertise to projects she loved. One such project was her role as the book rodeo coordinator at Carl Sandburg Elementary school. As an avid reader she knew what books were appropriate for each age group. She even learned many of the children’s book preferences spending months searching for books they would love and earning the nickname “The Book Rodeo Lady.” Behind the scenes she spent hundreds of hours scavenging and organizing books and planning the rodeo for many years. She earned a PTSA Golden Acorn award for all her achievements and personal sacrifices. After retirement, Jenny enjoyed volunteering at Carl Sandburg’s Elementary school library and working part-time for the University of Washington Records Management office.
Family was the most precious thing in Jenny’s life. She was a dedicated and loving mother and a fierce protector of her children. She encouraged her children to be involved in sports and Rebecca and Christopher played soccer from the time they were toddlers to seniors in high school. Jenny cherished this so much she never missed attending their games. Even when the rain was coming down sideways, you could still hear her over the storm offering encouragement to her kid’s team. When the team coach was unavailable she jumped at the chance to step in and coach.
Jenny Winkler is survived by her husband, David and their two children, Rebecca and Christopher. She is also survived by her parents Mike and Nitha Smith and her sister Michelle Lampers (Keith), nephew and niece, Jake and Erica.
As her husband, I was in awe watching Jenny live her life with such grace that touched so many of her family members, friends and community. Juggling a full-time career, volunteering, and raising two children, she led a full and beautiful life. She will forever be in our hearts!
If you would like to honor Jenny, in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center or to Carl Sandburg elementary school through PTSA Givebacks.
8 Responses to “Jennifer “Jenny” Grace Winkler”
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I loved my time volunteering with Jenny. Her passion and hard work for the kids was immense. She touched so many kids through book rodeo. I remember the first time I went to her house to get the books. It was amazing the work she did.
She was just a lovely person. All of you are in my families hearts.
Jessica, Jeremy, Josie and Julian Cook
Jenny certainly was an amazing person and a valued member of her community. I remember Jenny wrangling the Book Rodeo and receiving the Golden Acorn award. She was a steadfast volunteer and a positive force. Thank you, Jenny, for bringing your energy and acumen to energize and enhance the students’ educational experience. You made a difference!
I knew Jenny from my time working at Sandburg. She was indeed the Book Rodeo Queen and had an amazing positive impact on kids as well as being a wonderful person! I’m so sorry to hear of her passing. Her and her family are in my thoughts. She was a blessing to all who knew her.
I remember Jenny’s face from a small window of overlap in each of our PTSA volunteering days at Sandburg. Book Rodeo has always been one of my all-time favorite community events, and I helped support it’s continuance in the years after Jenny “retired” from her leadership role with it. I remember her as kind and passionate about books and the Book Rodeo, and I still see her positive impacts on the event even to this day! Our school community is richer for her years of service.
Jenny was an important part of our high school class at Shoreline. As Jenny liked to remind me, we first met in Kindergarten at Cromwell Park and then moved on in the same classes at North City every year except one.
Jenny, Michele and Nitha were played a critical role around the Onustack Household each year, as they were our Camp Fire mint pushers! We couldn’t imagine being without those wonderful mints. In fact to this day, I buy an extra box of mints that go straight into the freezer to be enjoyed months later. I still blame this 50-year addiction on Jenny!
After high school, Jenny helped as we planned some reunions where we shared laughs and memories and even established friendships with classmates who had been foes in our younger years.
I will always remember Jenny as kind, sweet and shy, yet someone who always stood up for herself, made her opinions known, and love and respected by all who who were privileged to know her.
May her family find peace in remembering her kindness, grace and smile.
Jennifer and I attended high school together and worked our first job at the McDonaldsDrive Thru window together. Whenever a cute boy would be in the drive-thru line I would hoot a woo-hoo call and then dive behind the window. She would be left standing there red and embarrassed and laughing (later) while admonishing me. horrifying for a shy 16 yeAr-old girl, but she has a great sense of humor. We had so much fun and she was such a great person. I am shocked by her passing.
As another Jennifer, Jenny and I had an immediate bond, though I was a teacher. A bright spot in everyone’s day, Jenny was always smiling, happy and grateful. Her sense of humor was comforting and her dedication was impressive. Steady, loyal, level headed and consistent, Jenny was the one behind the scenes, quietly volunteering to help “make it all happen.” From reading her lovely obituary I see that never changed. My heart goes out to her wonderful family. I have a feeling the stars are shining brighter with Jenny volunteering to “make it all happen.”
We have so many memories of Jenny and our Tracy… North City Elementary, their years in Camp Fire, Camp Sealth, Father Daughter dinners, collecting items for their miniature dollhouses, Serendipity books, stuffed animal collections (that included Alfred and ChaChaMeringue’s wedding on the NC playground). There are just so many memories and good times! It’s hard to believe that they are both gone.
I hope you all feel surrounded by love and comforted by your own memories of Jenny.