Denise Winchel

Mrs. Denise Ayn Winchel, age 52, of Greenville, passed away on Saturday afternoon, July 15, 2006 at her home surrounded by her loving family. The daughter of William P. Bill & Jacqueline Y. (Irish) Jenner, she was born on May 17, 1954 in Greenville. A 1973 graduate of Greenville High School, she was a lifelong area resident. On October 25, 1986, at Shiloh Community Church, she married Dr. Ivan L. Winchel. She worked as a chiropractic assistant at her husbands office in Greenville and for Dr. Thomas Bastien in Grand Rapids. For the past 19 years she was an A.C.E. certified fitness instructor, working most recently for the Belding Area Schools where she loved teaching aerobics, pilates, yoga, and other aspects of fitness in the community education program. In her leisure time she enjoyed scrapbooking, reading, writing poetry, traveling, visiting with family and friends, and hiking canyons -- especially the Grand Canyon. With great joy and anticipation, she was looking forward to the birth of her first grandchild, Daniel Boone Earns, in the next few days. Denise loved life, her church, her family and many special friends, and, of course, her cat Skidder. Up until her illness, she was an active and devoted member of the Three Angels Fellowship Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Belgreen Seventh Day Adventist Church. She had a deep and meaningful relationship with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and always enjoyed Bible study with her group, Phil, Milford & Rose Reed, Bob & Pam Bergeron, Rex & Darlyn Townsend, and Terry Vining. She was preceded in death by her parents; and a younger brother, William Gail Jenner. Surviving are her husband of almost 20 years, Dr. Ivan L. Winchel of Greenville; two sons, Joshua Earns of Sugar Island, and Clinton & Emily Earns of Wasila, Alaska; three sisters and brother, Jan & Richard Jones of Belding, Annette & Joe Hornsby of Ekron, Kentucky, and Cathie Cushman of Sidney; a brother, Greg Staffen of Orleans; and many wonderful nieces and nephews. Also surviving are Ivans children, Louri Winchel of White Cloud, Jeff Winchel of California, Tony Winchel of Fruitport, and Bob Winchel of North Muskegon; their adopted family, Rick & Tracie Williams and their children, Katelyn and Caleb, all of Kissimmee, Florida. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 from the Belgreen Seventh Day Adventist Church, 9799 W. Baker Road, Greenville, with a luncheon immediately following. The Rev. James E. Micheff, Jr. will officiate. Visitation with the family is Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Brown-Teman & Christiansen Funeral Home, 511 S. Franklin Street, Greenville, where envelopes for memorial contributions to Hospice of Michigan are available. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Denise Winchel, please visit our flower store.