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Paul L. Winkel
August 30, 1933 – January 25, 2018
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Paul Leon Winkel was born August 30, 1933, the youngest of 8 sons of Peter K Winkel and Anna Belle (Piersch) Winkel at a farm north of Glen Elder. He departed this life suddenly and unexpectedly at Via Christi St Francis Hospital in Wichita as a result of a brain injury sustained in a fall.
Paul’s father died when Paul was only 13 months old and thus, he looked to his older brother Ralph as a father figure. Paul was extremely close to his mother, admiring her strength and courage in raising 8 boys by herself during some very difficult times. As a young boy, you could often find Paul and his older brothers fishing or ice skating at the creek or riding horses. He had fond memories of time spent with the neighbor kids, including Winkel relatives, along with the Eberle, Fox, Moyer, Shoemaker, and Timbers clans. Paul reminisced of the fun the boys had creating and shooting “rubber band” guns from the forts they built. |
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Paul attended elementary school at Center School District 15 which was located just south of where Winkel Mfg. operates today. There is a stone marker where the school once stood. Paul was a member of the last class to graduate from the elementary school. He went on to graduate from the Glen Elder High School class of 1951. He participated in football and track and was proud to be a “Bearcat.”
Following high school graduation, Paul went to Utah to work, but returned to Glen Elder soon thereafter as he was homesick. He started working for the Glen Elder Livestock when it was located south of Tipton and also ran the motor grader for Glen Elder Township for many years.
On Saturday’s, Paul often attended wedding dances in Tipton which is where he met Dorothy Streit. He finally drummed up the courage to ask her to dance on the last dance of the evening. They were married on Tuesday, October 4, 1955, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Tipton.
Paul had very neat penmanship and a talent for drawing. As a young boy, he built a canoe and then a garden tractor. His engineering creativity led him to build 3-point blades, bumpers, and eventually stock racks, and thus, Winkel Mfg. was born in 1958. Paul took great pride in the products that bore his name. He coined the phrase, “You can take a piece of junk and turn it into something good, but don’t take something good and turn it into junk!” He spent many hours restoring pedal tractors and antique tractors to their original condition and enjoyed participating in the “Tractor Cruise” each year. His greatest joy was in having his sons and then his grandsons join him in the operation of Winkel Mfg. In 2016, Paul was honored by the Kansas State Fair for 50 consecutive years of exhibiting his products.
Paul was a member of SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and was a past member of the Glen Elder Lions Club, the Limestone Saddle Club, 4H, and the Western Kansas Manufacturers Association. He was preceded in death by his parents and his 7 older brothers: Harold, Ralph, Kenneth, Francis, Wayne, Dale, and Cecil Winkel.
He is survived by his loving wife Dorothy with whom he shared 62 years of marriage, along with his 5 children: Roy and Jody Winkel, Glen Elder; Linda Piersch, Lawrence; Joan and Mike Dryden, Manhattan; Alan and Deanne Winkel, Glen Elder; and Beth and Tom Ford, Gillette Wyoming; 11 grandchildren: Jesse (Dee) Winkel, Megan (Parron) Wilcoxson, Amber (Ian) Quayle, Joshua Wendell, Mariah Wendell, Shawn Dryden, Sarah (Travis) Marts, James (Danielle) Winkel, Ann Winkel, Katy Winkel, and Tanner Finney; three step-grandchildren: Tom, John, and McCorra Ford; and 7 great-grandchildren: Byntlee Winkel, Cooper Duskie, Parker Wilcoxson, Addison and Oliver Quayle, Harper and Carson Dryden.
Following high school graduation, Paul went to Utah to work, but returned to Glen Elder soon thereafter as he was homesick. He started working for the Glen Elder Livestock when it was located south of Tipton and also ran the motor grader for Glen Elder Township for many years.
On Saturday’s, Paul often attended wedding dances in Tipton which is where he met Dorothy Streit. He finally drummed up the courage to ask her to dance on the last dance of the evening. They were married on Tuesday, October 4, 1955, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Tipton.
Paul had very neat penmanship and a talent for drawing. As a young boy, he built a canoe and then a garden tractor. His engineering creativity led him to build 3-point blades, bumpers, and eventually stock racks, and thus, Winkel Mfg. was born in 1958. Paul took great pride in the products that bore his name. He coined the phrase, “You can take a piece of junk and turn it into something good, but don’t take something good and turn it into junk!” He spent many hours restoring pedal tractors and antique tractors to their original condition and enjoyed participating in the “Tractor Cruise” each year. His greatest joy was in having his sons and then his grandsons join him in the operation of Winkel Mfg. In 2016, Paul was honored by the Kansas State Fair for 50 consecutive years of exhibiting his products.
Paul was a member of SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and was a past member of the Glen Elder Lions Club, the Limestone Saddle Club, 4H, and the Western Kansas Manufacturers Association. He was preceded in death by his parents and his 7 older brothers: Harold, Ralph, Kenneth, Francis, Wayne, Dale, and Cecil Winkel.
He is survived by his loving wife Dorothy with whom he shared 62 years of marriage, along with his 5 children: Roy and Jody Winkel, Glen Elder; Linda Piersch, Lawrence; Joan and Mike Dryden, Manhattan; Alan and Deanne Winkel, Glen Elder; and Beth and Tom Ford, Gillette Wyoming; 11 grandchildren: Jesse (Dee) Winkel, Megan (Parron) Wilcoxson, Amber (Ian) Quayle, Joshua Wendell, Mariah Wendell, Shawn Dryden, Sarah (Travis) Marts, James (Danielle) Winkel, Ann Winkel, Katy Winkel, and Tanner Finney; three step-grandchildren: Tom, John, and McCorra Ford; and 7 great-grandchildren: Byntlee Winkel, Cooper Duskie, Parker Wilcoxson, Addison and Oliver Quayle, Harper and Carson Dryden.
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Ode to Paul
Written by a friend... He’s full of oats But he sows no wheat I met this man That’s kinda neat. His last name’s Winkel And his first name’s Paul And he chews tobacco But that’s not all. He’s the kinda guy You like to be around You probably have a Paul In your home town. When you talk with him You’ll feel you’ve known him for years ‘cause he has that big grin From ear to ear. He lives just north Of this little town Where everybody’s busy ‘til the sun goes down. |
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Then everything gets
Kinda quiet and serene Except ol’ Paul And his shop full of machines. He can build you some panels To keep in your cows Or fix your worn out Broken down plow. He can build you anything Just bring him your plans I’ll tell you this guy Is a hardworking man. His wife’s name’s Dorothy She’s a helluva cook‘ cause Paul’s gut sticks out ‘bout half a foot. You know the kind of cook I mean She bakes cookies and bread And meals fit for a king. |
If you don’t have a Paul
In your home town Just come to Glen Elder You’ll find him around. Just go a little north To the top of the hill You’ll hear noises from his shop He’s tryin’ to re-invent the wheel. I know that he’ll do it One day somehow But he’s best at makin’ panels To keep in your cows. And so ends this story ‘bout Paul and his shop But as far as men go He’s right at the top. 
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