Leslie “Les” Allen Winters

Les A. Winters, 72, of Waukon, IA, passed away Sunday, November 16, 2025, at Veterans Memorial Hospital. Private graveside services will be held at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon for family. A celebration of life will be held from 1:00 - 4:00 PM on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion. All friends and family are welcome to come honor Les with a story, a dad joke, or a song recommendation. Please feel free to wear your favorite team apparel or concert tee in tribute to him. He wouldn’t want anyone to fuss over him, but we would love it if you did. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Veterans Memorial Hospital, VMH Ambulance Service, or VMH-Community and Home Care. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

     Leslie “Les” Allen Winters was born on December 14, 1952, to Wesley and Evelyn (Decker) Winters at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, IA. He grew up in rural Luana, where he helped on the family farm and began lifelong friendships with his neighbors, the Brainard family, who first dubbed him with the nickname “Scratch”. Some of his fondest memories were of his childhood spent near the Yellow River bottoms squirrel hunting, playing pranks and generally wreaking havoc in the neighborhood with his brother Ray and the Brainard boys.

     He attended the Little Red Schoolhouse at Forest Mills and was taught there by the Reverend Curtis Webster for many years. Les always said that in addition to standard school fare, Curt taught his pupils about the natural world around them and important life lessons on treating others with humanity. Curt was an avid motorcycle rider and it was from him that Les learned to love them as well, ordering his first bike, a JAWA 50cc, from Aldens Catalog. It was during his teen years that Les also discovered his passion for rock and roll music. He began amassing a large record collection, taught himself to play the guitar, and sought out live music wherever he could - Black Sabbath being a concert of note for him.

     Les began his career as a butcher at The Red Owl in Waukon (later Quandahl’s Food Ranch and then Quillin’s Food Ranch) in 1969, when he was 16-years old, working there until his health forced him to retire in December 2018. He graduated from Waukon Senior High School in 1971, and purchased a Harley Davidson Sportster shortly after that. He spent numerous hours riding motorcycles with his friends, even making a trip to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota in 1972 with his brother Ray and friends. Les also liked to tell stories of his time road tripping through the southeastern U.S. with Ray around this time.

     In August 1976, Les met JoAnn Schwartzhoff while they were both employed at The Red Owl. He and JoAnn began dating and were married on February 18th, 1978. They made their home in Waukon, raising four children, and instilling in them that hard work, kindness, and laughter were worth more than all the money in the bank. His work ethic was unmatched and he was always happy to see a family member or old friend over the 50 years employed in the meat department. He made many lasting relationships with his coworkers and customers during his time there.

     Les enjoyed taking his family for long drives through the countryside, and listening to and talking about the albums he played during those times. He loved trivia and watched “Jeopardy” with JoAnn almost every day, occasionally viewing the early episode and shocking her by knowing all the answers when watching the later episode together. He was a devout Iowa Hawkeyes, Green Bay Packers, and Waukon Indians fan, with the 2003 Indians football and girls’ basketball teams holding a special spot in his memory. He also liked watching NASCAR races on TV in between many retirement naps. Les was a history buff, enjoyed learning about and collecting guns, had a deep appreciation for classic cars, took pleasure in mowing the lawn with his John Deere rider, and most importantly, loved telling his children tall tales, groanworthy puns, and dad jokes. He became a grandfather in 2017, and again in 2021, a role that he patiently waited to be granted and relished more than any other, spending almost every day with his grandkids either in person, on the phone, or just by rewatching videos of them.

     Les’s last years were spent dealing with health issues, but in true Les fashion, he maintained his sense of humor, rarely complained, and was beyond grateful to every single family member, friend, and medical professional who had a hand in helping him get through these tough times. Les selflessly chose to be an organ/tissue donor and we know it would make him happy if people would do a kind deed for someone or tell a cheesy joke in his honor. We were so privileged to call you ours, Dad. Until we meet again… We know that you are tearing Heaven up with your old friends Barney, Dayton, Craig, Ronnie, Jerry, and Gary.

     To our mom JoAnn: thank you for taking such great care of our Pops the last several years. You were the best wife and nurse, and he always knew you would walk to the ends of the earth for him. He would have done the same for you if he could have. Your love story wasn’t glamorous, but it was true and it was real…just like Sasquatch.

     Les is survived by his wife of almost 48 years, JoAnn; children: Travis Winters, Amanda Winters (Lloyd Stegen), Stacy (Seth) Yager, and Thomas (Samantha) Winters; grandchildren: Henry “Buckshot” Lane Stegen and Mara “Little Sweetheart” Jo Winters; his beloved feline pal Chubs the cat; siblings: Raymond Winters (Carlean Lange), Kate Winters, Barbara (Marvin “Butch”) Hill, Steve (Angie) Schwartzhoff, Christine Schwartzhoff (Mark Hoppenjan), Mark (Sally) Schwartzhoff, Pat (Kristine) Schwartzhoff, Larry (Katie) Schwartzhoff, Dana (Jason) Fish, Nicole (Ben) Read, and Bonnie Schwartzhoff; and many nephews, nieces, and cousins.

     He was preceded in death by his parents Wesley and Evelyn Winters and Donald and Shirley Schwartzhoff; grandparents Carl and Abigail Winters and Harold and Mildred Decker; uncle Robert Fish; nephew Jason Neuman; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and lifelong friends.

     Les’s brother and best friend Ray Winters will serve as urn bearer, with honorary pallbearers Marvin Brainard, Lloyd Stegen, Seth Yager, Samantha Winters, Butch Hill, Steve, Christine, Mark, Pat, and Larry Schwartzhoff, Dana Fish, and Nicole Read.

     Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.