In loving memory of Karl Winter: 1934-2022

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Our beloved dad, opa, brother, and uncle, Karl Aloys Winter passed away June 17, 2022, at his home in Woodland, Washington. He was born Dec. 24, 1934, in Hagenbach, Germany, the son of Karl and Angela (Antoni) Winter. 

Karl grew up in Hagenbach, Germany where he made his apprenticeship as a plasterer in 1953. In his spare time, he was a member of the local glee club and fussball (soccer) club. Karl immigrated to the United States in 1955 where he lived with his aunt and uncle in New Jersey until he entered the U.S. Air Force in September 1956. He met his wife Kathy while on leave in Germany and got married in Great Falls, Montana where they started their family. After leaving the Air Force, Karl opened pizza places in Montana and Idaho and then decided to move his family west. He lived in California and Vancouver, Washington while working in the restaurant business until he finally settled his family in Portland, Oregon where he worked in a local sawmill before starting his next career in construction. 

The family eventually moved to Vancouver, Washington where Karl started his own construction business and built many homes in the Clark County area. Always willing to try new things, Karl bought a commercial fishing boat, the Nan B II, and spent a year fishing up and down the Pacific Coast, before returning to his construction business. In 1994, Karl and Kathy started yet another venture, when they bought and managed a restaurant in Packwood, Washington until they sold it in 2004. They officially retired again and became full time snowbirds, splitting their time between Arizona and Washington with their many friends. 

He played soccer for years with Sportsclub Germania who won the Northwest Championship title in 1971. There were many family trips to Diamond Lake, Lincoln City, and Merwin Dam with the club as well as traditional German Christmas parties and other events throughout the year. After an injury prevented him from playing soccer, he started golfing and enjoyed many years playing courses all over and volunteering as a marshal at the FBR Open when he lived in Arizona. Later he joined the Sun City West Western Horseshoe Club where he enjoyed being an active player and competitor.

Karl leaves behind his daughter Karen (Robert) Holcomb; his sons John Winter and Karl “Michael” (Anne) Winter; grandchildren Erik (Xenia) Winter, Michaela Holcomb and Aaron (Amanda) Holcomb; great-grandchildren Jacob Winter, Kaylee Winter, Emberly Holcomb, Emma Winter, Felicity Holcomb and Nadia Winter; and his brother Hermann (Bernadette) Winter as well as nieces, nephews, and other family still in Germany. Karl was preceded in death by his loving wife Katharina (Kathy) just one month before their 60th wedding anniversary in 2019, as well as his parents, Karl and Angela, and his brother Franz in Germany.

Donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

A celebration of life will be held at the home of his daughter from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 3, 2022, at 15003 NE 94th St., Vancouver, Washington 98682.