Carol Winkler was known by those who encountered her as a force of nature. To her five children, she was the glue, bonding everyone together. She passed on her own terms on December 5, 2024, age 75, in the presence of her children and her husband, Paul Winkler, after living with pancreatic cancer for over a year. She was at peace, knowing she'd be joyously welcomed by her heavenly Father.

Born Carol Ann Sowey on April 20, 1949, in Dearborn, MI, to the late Carl and Ann Sowey, her early passion for learning fueled her work and hobbies. She pursued a career in the sciences and met her husband, Paul Douglas Winkler, along the way. They married in 1974 and began their family while she simultaneously earned her bachelor's degree in nursing, eventually becoming a labor and delivery nurse, working in the field at Detroit's Hutzel Hospital for almost 30 years. Post retirement, she ran the office of her husband's private psychology practice in Traverse City, MI.

Carol was a loyal and fierce mother — raising children with Paul provided deep joy and fulfillment. Her work ethic and ability to focus on what needed to be done are notable, as is her broad range of talents from fixing things around the house, to her organizational skills, and her love and skill for woodworking. In fact, she enjoyed woodworking so much that she turned it into a home business, carving handmade charcuterie boards of Michigan. Always up for a game, a margarita, a laugh or a fire in the backyard, Carol embraced the life in front of her.

She is survived by her spouse Paul Douglas, children Jeff (Nicole) Winkler, Jill Douglas, Nick (Amy) Winkler, Matt Winkler and Julie Winkler, as well as her six grandchildren, Jacob, Benjamin, Charlie, Hailey, Logan and Connor.

Her family and friends will gather to honor and celebrate her with a memorial mass at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Traverse City, Michigan on Thursday February 13, 2024. The mass will start at 11am. To honor Carol, there will be a reception at 1pm at Brengman Family Wines, a second home and family to her and where she felt very much alive. Carol's lifelong interest in science and learning contributed to her decision for anatomical donation to the University of Michigan where she will continue to give to others.