Judith Wininger

Judith Ann Wininger died peacefully at the Davis Hospice Center on Thursday, April 6, after a battling a long illness with grace and courage. Born in Casper, Wyoming, on January 16, 1957, she was adopted at age three by Betty and Richard Wagner of Cheyenne.

One of the many adventures of her life was going to the American International Schools in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Thessaloniki, Greece, where her father was head of school. She retained lifelong friendships from those times as a teenager abroad. Returning to the United States, she attended Lycoming College in Williamsport, where she met and married her first husband, Scott McMullen, with whom she had two children. The marriage ended in divorce, and in 1985 she married Steven Wininger of Cheyenne.

She spent her career helping at-risk children, first through the Department of Family Services and for many years at Normative Services, Inc. One of her greatest satisfactions was seeing these teenagers grow into successful adults. After the sudden death of her husband Steve, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 spinal cancer and given a year to live. She tackled the diagnosis with her usual grit and determination, continuing to work during her chemo treatments, and living for eight years longer. Illness resulting from the cancer treatment forced her early retirement and caused her death.

No matter how frail she became, her friends and family will always remember her hearty greeting of “Hi, Sunshine,” whenever they called. Judy loved a quote by Jake Remington that sums up her spirit: “Fate whispers to the warrior, 'You cannot withstand the storm.' The warrior whispers back, 'I am the storm.'”

Friends remember that they could always count on her. She met people where they were and refused to be judgmental, Friends appreciated her dry wit, her ready smile, her generosity, her refusal to give in to despair or sorrow, her keen intelligence, her love of country music, and her scrumptious lasagna.

She is survived by her son Andrew McMullen (Andrea) in Germany; daughter Stephanie McMullen (Jeremy) of Georgia; her grandson Kyler McMullen (Kat) of Cheyenne; her sister, Lisa Catherine Wagner of Arizona; and numerous cousins, in-laws, and friends. The family is especially grateful to Mary Aragon, who was with her until the end and is the type of friend we all wish to have.

Deep thanks go to Davis Hospice In-Home care, Dr. Tristan Dow of the Heart Center of the Rockies, and Dr. Carol Fischer for their care over the years.

Donations in Judy’s honor may be made to Davis Hospice Center.