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Marion Winnig

December 22nd, 2006

Former Milwaukeean Marion Winnig (nee Marko) of Lawrence, N.Y., died on Dec. 8 of heart failure. She was 80 years old.

Winnig was born in Milwaukee and attended Washington High School. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, receiving Bachelor of Arts and Master of Social Work degrees.

She moved to Wausau in 1948, living there until 1974, when she and her family returned to Milwaukee. Winnig moved to New York in 2003.

She worked as a social worker for several years, beginning at Jewish Family Services in Milwaukee. In 1974 she was appointed to serve on the Wisconsin State Parole Board, the first woman and first Jew to achieve this.

In Wausau, Winnig was active at the Mt. Sinai Congregation, where she taught adult education and high school religious school at her home.

She also was part of B’nai B’rith Dolls for Democracy, as well as the American Association of University Women book club in Wausau for 50 years, participating long distance and traveling to meetings after moving back to Milwaukee. She led Great Books discussion groups and had a radio program in Wausau.

In Milwaukee, she was a member of Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun. She belonged to Temple Sinai of Long Island in New York.

According to her family, she was a woman with “boundless energy” who was a gourmet cook and baker. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchild, her family said, and she will be remembered for the great life lessons she taught everyone.

Her husband Sidney Winnig died in 1987. She is survived by daughters Gwen (Sidney) Rivkin of Glendale and Rabbi Paula Winnig of Lawrence, N.Y.; sons Joel (Susan) Winnig of Madison, and Marc Winnig of Waconda, Ill.; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Funeral services were held Dec. 11 at Jewish Community Funeral Home. Rabbi Steven Adams officiated. Burial was in Anshai Lebowitz Cemetery.

The family would appreciate memorial contributions to the Central Conference of American Rabbis’ “Gates of Healing” publication or other Jewish educational programs.