Fifth Generation

48. Ermegeane M. "Ermie" WINCHEL was born on 14 August 1927 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^10,55,56 She appeared in the census in 1930 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁵ She graduated in 1945 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁵⁵ from Tomah High School. Ermie died on 7 March 2012 at the age of 84 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁵⁶ Obituary Notes: "Ermegeane “Ermie” M. Steinmetz Baldwin, 84, of Tomah, passed away Wednesday, March 7, 2012, at Tomah Memorial Hospital after a brief battle with cancer. She was born Aug. 14, 1927, the daughter of Art and Susie (Schultz) Winchel in Tomah, where she resided her entire life. She attended Hill and St. Mary’s Catholic grade schools and was a graduate of the Tomah High School class of 1945.

Ermie held various occupations; some include: Ben Franklin dime store, Daybreak Motel, St. Mary’s hot lunch program, Woodliff’s Neighborhood Grocery Store and the VA dietetics department. She greatly enjoyed her co-workers and everyone with whom she came in contact.
She was united in marriage to Leonard L. Steinmetz Sept. 25, 1946, and to this union four children were born, Gregory, Susan, Jennifer and Pamela. Leonard passed away Feb. 18, 1971. She was united in marriage to Ron Baldwin from Nov, 6, 1976, until June 16, 1995.

Ermie loved life, her family and friends. She embraced her circle of friends by following the Howie Sturtz Band (dancing every dance!), playing cards and attending a variety of sporting events and her class reunions. In her later years she would follow local sports and school activities on the Hagen Sports Network. She continued her correspondence with her classmates by phone and mail.

Her passion was being a mother to her four children, a grandmother, and the “second” mom to many children whose paths she crossed. She was a very special daughter, sister, wife, aunt, mother, second mom and friend. Always with a twinkle in her brown eyes and a beautiful smile, she will be missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by three children, Greg (Kathy) Steinmetz, Sue Clay and Pam (Dennis Ryan) Steinmetz, all of Tomah; 11 grandchildren, Jackie (Diego Lopez) Steinmetz, Katherine (Fausto Cubas) Steinmetz and Scott (Bea Garcia) Steinmetz, all of Spain, Branden Steinmetz of Minneapolis, Austin Steinmetz, Kelli Clay, Janna (Joe) Engel and Craig and Carey Heding, all of Tomah, and Michael and Meghan Ryan of Milwaukee; 17 great-grandchildren, Diego and Miguel Lopez, Martina Cubas, Carlotta Steinmetz, Lindsey and Ashley Zblewski, Carlee, Kendall and Sydney Wedemeier, Olivia Engel, Johnny, Dillen and Blake Heding, Brandon Wagner, Rhett Haun and Jake Schleicher, one great-great- granddaughter, Athena Heding; a sister, Vernie Vandervort of Tomah; many nieces; nephews; other relatives; friends and classmates of 1945.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Art and Susie; her husband, Leonard; brothers LaVerne and Lewis Winchel; her daughter, Jenny Heding; sons-in-law, John Heding and Gordie Clay; brother-in-law, Verlyn “Van” Vandervort and sister-in-law, June Winchel.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday (today), March 12, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Tomah. Monsignor Richard Gilles will officiate. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery."

Ermegeane M. "Ermie" WINCHEL and Leonard Louis STEINMETZ were married on 25 September 1946. Leonard Louis STEINMETZ, son of George STEINMETZ and Susie UNKNOWN (STEINMETZ), was born on 27 June 1924 in Monroe County, WI.¹⁰ He died on 18 February 1971 at the age of 46.³⁸

Ermegeane M. "Ermie" WINCHEL and Leonard Louis STEINMETZ had the following children:

Ermegeane M. "Ermie" WINCHEL and Ronald "Ron" BALDWIN were married on 6 November 1976.⁵⁶ Ronald "Ron" BALDWIN was born (date unknown).