Joan E Winter

Joan Gypp Chesnick Winter of Bensenville, IL, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023 from complications and organ failure related to multiple urinary tract infections at the age of 91.

She was born on March 31, 1932 in Menominee, MI to Elizabeth (Payne) and Leonard Gypp, and raised by her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Amos Payne of Menominee. As a young child she attended St Ann’s Grade School and later Menominee High School where she graduated in 1950. While in high school, she sang as second soprano in the “Melody Maids” entertaining the local community, enjoyed “That’s My Desire” as her favorite song, was a varsity cheerleader, and participated in Pep Club, Tri-Y, and Drama Club as extra-curricular activities.

After high school, Joan attended a three-year program in nursing and graduated from Mercy School of Nursing in Oshkosh, WI, in 1953 with her RN degree. She began her nursing career at Hines Veterans Hospital in Chicago, where she met her first husband, Frank Chesnick, who was a patient on the spinal cord injury ward. In 1956 they had a daughter, Joby Marie, while she had started working at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital in Elmhurst, IL, and later at the Franklin Park Industrial Clinic in Franklin Park, IL, where she worked for 34 years, eventually becoming Clinic Administrator before retiring.

During this time, she had also been elected as President of the Council of Occupational Health Nursing in Chicago. Joan was a devoted Catholic and early member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Bensenville, IL, from the time it opened its doors in 1959, where she served as President of the Council of Catholic Women and was named Woman of the Year by the Diocese of Joliet. She remained active in the church attending Mass regularly until it closed in June 2023.

Although Joan’s marriage to her first husband ended, she found love again and later married Jack Winter, a retired IBM executive and member of St. Charles Borromeo Church in 1991. In the following years, they enjoyed travel both within and outside of the U.S., with timeshare resorts in Deerfield Beach, FL and Austria, as well as hosting parties at their Bensenville home for family and friends.

Joan is preceded in death by her grandparents Amos and Mary (Rueckert) Payne, her mother Elizabeth (Payne) Johnson and father Leonard Gypp. Joan is survived by her husband Jack, married 32 years, her daughter Joby of Verona, WI, cousin Douglas (Joan) Englund of Hartford, WI, Durand (Beverly) Englund of Menominee, MI, second cousins Wayne (Kris) of Germantown, WI, Pam (Mark) Fox of Mayville, WI, and Stacy Englund of New Berlin, WI.

Surviving stepfamily includes Diane (Jim) Larsen, Tim (Ka-ren) Winter, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank Wanda I. Gonzalez and the other caregivers for the care and compassion they showed our loved one in her final days.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Funeral Mass at St. Alexis Catholic Church on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 11:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, Mass intentions in her name would be appreciated

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at https://obituaries.neptunesociety.com/obituaries/rolling-meadows-il/joan-winter-11473231/add-memory for the Winter family.