Donald G. Winger

Don was born a long time ago before dinosaurs, he would joke with his grandson, but in reality he was born in Hobs, New Mexico,  January 23,1959, to Dorothy and Donald L. Winger Sr. He came home to his older brothers, Kenneth H. Johnson and James G. Johnson (Ken and Jim) and was joined almost immediately by a little sister Vicky D. Winger. The family moved in1962, when Mr. Winger, Don Sr., an USA Air Force Communications Specialist/Air Traffic Controller, agreed to a position at the new airport in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The little family flourished. 

On Grace Avenue, Donnie Winger would become who he was and who he wanted to be; a musician, a comedian, a most amazing skier and medic through ski patrol, a mischievous prankster (ask his neighbors), photographer, even an antique dealer of sorts.  Don was a worker and always held a high work ethic. He started working at JB's Big Boy when he was 14 years old by lying about his age on the application. He once said this job got him thru high school. "If his grades went down his parents would force him to quit his job." Don worked 40 years in the motor service industry as an electric motor technician.
 
Don married Vanessa Moss Winger in 1979. In 1980 he became a father to the first of two and a 1/2 boys; Derrick Dwain Down Hill Airborne Klondike Mogul Buster Winger (does not ski), and13 years later came Jack Peyton Chance Winger (much shorter name).  In 2015, Don and Vanessa received Benjamin Scott Denning Haizlip Winger (Don did not name him. Weird ha!) and taught him the ways of The Winger too.

If you would like to join us in celebration of Don's life we will be meeting at one of his favorite restaurants, Papa Tom's Pizza, 1830 S. Woodruff, at 7p.m. on Thursday, July 15, 2021, until we see him again.