By Don Steen ~ Staff Writer • [email protected]
The one-year anniversary of Mayor Don Winkler’s passing brought together friends, family, and colleagues for a memorial dedication at Rockport City Hall Monday, April 15. Winkler’s wife, Peggy, hoisted a plaque in his honor outside the Council Chambers, next to a similar marker for the late Mayor Nedra Groves.
The dedication ceremony was centered on sharing stories of Mayor Winkler and his adventures in the city and beyond. Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Megan Lashley recalled her first day at city hall, when Winkler’s welcome included a reference to a friendly chiding from her childhood antics. This set an informal tone for her time working under him, with “What’s up, Trouble?” being a common greeting.
“I still miss him coming into my office,” said Lashley.
Mayor Cathy Kirkpatrick recalled Winkler’s penchant for leisure cruising around town, driving particularly slowly when there were Christmas decorations to check out. Peggy attested to that as well, saying, “You never knew how long you’d be out if you took a ride with Donald.”
Most of all, Kirkpatrick respected Winkler’s grasp of the office, and wished he was still around to offer advice now that she’s stepped into the role.
“I sure wish I had him here still today,” she said. “Because I have a lot of questions for him. Everything he told me was always right.”
Council President Connie Hargis pointed out that Winkler and the Council managed to build a good working relationship, accomplishing a great deal in the process. For example, she pointed to recent initiatives to revitalize Downtown Main Street as a natural extension of initiatives undertaken during his term. She also mentioned an occasion where Winkler helped extricate her from an altercation with a cantankerous canine when she was at a loss of who else to call.
“It was an honor to work with Don,” she said. “We were both on the same page of what we wanted to see in Rockport.”
Read more on this story in this week’s issue of the Spencer County Leader!
Featured Image: The memorial plaque of late Mayor Don Winkler proudly hangs on the wall outside of the Council Chambers at Rockport City Hall. The plaque was hung in memory of the one-year anniversary of Winkler’s passing
Mayor Cathy Kirkpatrick and Peggy Winkler, wife of late Mayor Don Winkler place the memorial plaque of her husband on the wall at the Rockport City Hall
