Bennie Nyles Winter

Bennie Nyles Winter passed away at the Ardmore, Oklahoma Veterans Home on September 5, 2018. He was a resident of Ardmore, Oklahoma for almost sixty years. Born in Duncan, OK to Charles “John” Thomas and Hazel Lurinda Whitley Winter on November 18, 1927, he was of Scottish, French, German, and Choctaw ancestry and reared in the frontier values of his parents: “Make your own way and be honest.”

In his younger years in rural Oklahoma, Bennie and his horse Nibbles worked cattle on the Sandy Bear Creek bottoms, where he began to fulfill his legacy: Honest as the day is long, he cheated no one. As he grew up, he loved learning and began to seek his truths. He was a wonderful son and business partner and good brother to his siblings. Dad paid forward to his children the words of his old Pernell, Oklahoma schoolhouse: “Knowledge once gained casts a light beyond its own immediate boundaries.”

Dad was a veteran and served in the 1940s Army Air Force and was later recalled at the onset of the Korean War to active Air Force duty due to a shortage of personnel in his MOS specialty. Dad fiercely loved his country and said he enjoyed the military experience. While stationed overseas, he swiped a buddy’s photo of a woman who would become his wife and our mother. While back in the states on leave, dad showed up at her workplace where she was waiting tables in Davis, OK. Mom loved to recall how she said, “Ooohhh lala,” when he introduced himself to her. Both were unusually handsome and beautiful; when they would enter a room, it was often whispered they must be movie stars.

Bennie married Joyce Lynn Sadler on October 1, 1949, and thus began a lifetime love affair filled with adventures that included raising a family, birthing and racing quarter horses, writing books, painting, being entrepreneurs, and educating them selves. They were a power couple before it became a popular moniker. You rarely saw one without the other as they balanced family, work, and life’s challenges together.

Dad was an early-on skilled horseman and rider, which came in handy later in life. He was an excellent judge of horseflesh, and in the 60s had several race horses that contributed to a legacy of top performers from the line he and his father raised and trained. His favorite mare, Three’s Gal, was a source of pride for him, and her progeny went on to win the All American Futurity in 2015. Track Magazine published a story about him in October 2015, noting the significance Dad had played in the future of quarter horse racing.

A self-taught true renaissance man and polymath, our father loved words, physics, and many other intellectual pursuits, so it was befitting that he would write a book after making some discoveries he felt the world needed to know. As the author of The Great Deception: Symbols and Numbers Clarified, he shared his revelations with all he came into contact. He authored many poems and short stories as well. In recent years, he authored book reviews on favored books and wrote papers concerning his theory on the Ultimate Particle and Physics determinations. When most people his age were afraid of computers, dad jumped in and enjoyed the benefits of technology. He enjoyed wagering and playing the horses and later enjoyed the same with football. His collection of legal pads full of data were always near his side. Our father was interested, and he was interesting. If you beat him in Scrabble, you earned it. He wasn’t going to let you win to make you feel good; he wanted you to win skillfully because an earned win felt even better.

Dad loved music and could be found fiddling or guitar picking or listening to music of all genres when he was at leisure; his instruments covered one wall of his home. He particularly liked Spanish music and El Paso. He was also an envied painter, painting landscapes of the beautiful American countryside, which covered his and our walls as well.

Dad was proud of his children, grand children, and great grandchildren, always encouraging us to complete our goals. His five children will be eternally grateful for giving us creative names that have served us well throughout life, and we appreciate the important things he taught us: creativity, integrity, honesty, gratitude, and truthfulness. The lessons we learned from our father were always practical, pragmatic, and useful. He taught us to defend ourselves but to never start a conflict. He taught thriftiness. He showed by example that you do not need excessive words to make a point. He demanded that we be responsible. He loved to engage us in competitions and debates of religion and politics. One of his children once asked him what he would do if he found out he had a terminal illness. Giving a thoughtful pause he said, “I think I would go fishing.” Those simple words came home to roost many years later, and although he did not go fishing, he did decide that he would take no treatments. He told us many times, “Death is just another part of life,” further demonstrating his great courage.

Bennie Nyles Winter is survived by his wife of almost 69 years Joyce Lynn Sadler Winter. Five children: Schahara Suzanne Winter and husband Rusty Hudelson of Levelland, TX; Scheryl Sharisse Winter and husband Doug Williams of Ardmore, OK; Scharmagne Suzette Winter and husband Saad Hineidi of Dallas, TX; Christopher Thomas Winter and wife Christine of Clarkston, WA; and Schaunon Simone Winter and husband Mark Gilman of Evergreen, CO. He was a grandfather to Tania Hudelson-Moody and Stuart; Matt Williams; Darcy Hudelson-Lewis and Bobby; Zack Williams and Autumn; Elizabeth Findlay and Regina; Chris Gilman; Carson Winter; Schyeler Gilman; Bridger Winter; Sierra Gilman; Hannah Winter. He was great grandfather to Samuel Moody, Madison Moody-Partain, Zan Williams, Remi Williams, and Van Lewis. Brother to Wally Winter and Nico, and Uncle to two nieces Maxie Martin and Marsha Dvorak. Bennie Winter is preceded in death by his parents Charles “John” Thomas and Hazel Winter, sister Maxine Hawkins, and brother Chad Winter. Our family would like to thank the Aspire Hospice team, the staff of Wilson Nursing Center, the VA for their exceptional care, and a special thank you to his friend and caregiver Maranda Betz and daughter Lily for their devotion and home care. In lieu of a service, Bennie will be cremated and wait for his beloved Joyce to join him upon which time they will reside at their beautiful Sandy Bear Creek monument.

We love and will miss our patriarch, who said it best: There is no reality; alas, there is no now. Only hope and memories are worthy of a bow. So live life to the fullest, and don’t forget to smile. Take time to smell the roses, and live a life worthwhile. And we his children say: Well, done Dad. Well done.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation or the American Cancer Society.