William Winsell, 76

October 29, 1949 - 

September 30, 2026

 

   William "Bill" Winsell, age 76, formerly of Ridgeway, IA, died on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at The Highlands in Decorah, IA.

   A visitation will be held from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 9, 2026, with funeral service to begin at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Robbin Gallegos officiating at the Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Cresco.  Bill will be laid to rest next to his wife Deb at Calvary Cemetery.  Fellowship will continue at the Ridgeway Community Center following the burial. Bill's family kindly requests that no flowers or gifts be sent in his memory. Your presence and support during this difficult time are the greatest comfort and are deeply appreciated.

   William Earl Winsell was born on October 29, 1949, in Van Buren County, IA, the youngest child and only son of Paul and Minnie (Goehring) Winsell. Growing up, Bill’s five older sisters claimed he was the most spoiled of the children. From a young age, he enjoyed spending time outdoors hunting and fishing.

   Bill enjoyed attending tractor pulls, sharpening knives, and fishing, but most of all, he looked forward to his annual deer hunting trip near Douds, IA, with his son, brothers-in-law, nephews, and friends. What started as a small group quickly grew into a party of over 20 people helping push deer through the woods.

   On October 6, 1990, Bill married Debra Myers at the United Methodist Church in Cresco, IA. The couple shared a love for watching NASCAR, even if they didn't start out rooting for the same drivers. Bill and Deb traveled to the Michigan International Speedway and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to watch races, with Bill cheering on Tony Stewart. They also enjoyed a trip to Florida with Dustin and Jenny to tour the Daytona 500 Speedway. Camping was another favorite pastime for Bill and Deb; over the years, their campers grew in size, and they always looked forward to camping with Bill’s sisters and their families during the first weekend in June.

   Bill is survived by his son Dustin (Jenny) Winsell of Black River Falls, WI; granddaughter Allie (Clint) Halverson of Clermont, IA; great granddaughter Maelyn Halverson; mother-in-law Anna Myers of Cresco, IA; brothers-in-law Kenny Wells of Douds, IA, Jim Arnold of Van Horne, IA, and Pat Macha of Quincy, IL; and many nieces and nephews.

   He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Deb Winsell; sisters Wilma Davis, Doris Macha, Liliah Wells, Phylis Connelly, and Midge Arnold; sister-in-law Diane (Richard) Bruening; brother-in-law Dave Myers; and nieces Jennifer Zweibohmer and Megan Connelly.