Le Mars, Iowa – Lois Winecoff, 97, of Le Mars, Iowa passed away on Thursday, October 14, 2021, at Good Samaritan Society in Le Mars. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, October 29, 2021, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Le Mars. Rev. Christian Meier will officiate. Visitation with the family present will begin one hour before the funeral. Lois willed her body for medical research and teaching at the South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine.

Lois Nora Winecoff was born on June 22, 1924, to Henry and Mary (Ommen) Lubben on the family farm in Plymouth County, Iowa. She was the fourth of five daughters. Lois attended country schools until the 10th grade and eventually received her high school diploma through correspondence school. Lois, her sister Alice and a cousin went to Wichita, KS to work as "Rosie the Riveter" in the Boeing Airplane plant near the end of WW11. From there, Lois and Alice went to Denver, CO to work at the big Montgomery Wards store. One night while walking home it began to rain and they ducked into a nightclub where Lois met a soldier recovering from war wounds. Bachman Rowe "Bob" Winecoff asked to take her out the next day and she told him she'd be going to church. As it turned out, both were Lutherans, so they went to church together and were married a year later on June 22, 1946, at Christ Lutheran Church, rural Le Mars.

Lois and Bob lived in Charlotte and Kannapolis, North Carolina where their son, Rowe, Jr. was born. She worked at GE until the family moved to Le Mars in 1953. A year later their daughter, Christine, was born. Lois later went to work in the office at Harker's and eventually became the frozen food buyer. She loved working for Jack Harker (Best Boss Ever!) for 27 years and had the fondest memories of all her co-workers, vendors and customers. In addition to her work, Lois enjoyed family, Bible study, gardening, quilting (especially with friends in the church quilting group) and playing cards or bingo. She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Le Mars where she was involved with W.E.L.C.A as a former president and secretary. She also taught Sunday School.

Lois is survived by her son, Rowe and daughter-in-law Susan of Edina, MN; her daughter, Chris and son-in-law Richard Gibson of New Hope, MN and Surprise, AZ; sister, Edna Johnson of Le Mars; grandchildren, Erin Winecoff of Gilbert, AZ, Ben (Rachel) Winecoff of Story City, IA, Emily (Eric) Callaghan of Marshfield, WI; step-grandson, Josh (Kim) Shively of La Crosse, WI; step-granddaughter, Sheila (Brian) Reynolds of Ramsey, MN; 11 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1996; her parents; three sisters, Helen Haage, Alice Pearson and Marie Dirks/DeBoom; and four brothers-in-law.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Park Place Estates where Lois lived and thrived for 8 years. Thank you to Floyd Valley Hospital, Good Samaritan Society and St. Croix Hospice for their care in Lois' final days. Thanks also to Pastors Chris, Jean and Renee from St. John's Lutheran Church as well as all those who were friends with and volunteers to Lois. You have been amazing blessings!

Memorials in Lois' name may be directed to St. John's Lutheran Church, Park Place Estates, Good Samaritan Society or Floyd Valley Hospital.