Virtus Winter, 94, of Carmi passed away at 7:35 p.m., Tuesday, July 7, 2015 at Wabash Christian Retirement Center in Carmi. He was born July 26, 1920 in Carmi the son of Fred and Katie (Hertlein) Winter. Virtus married Blanche Musgrave on February 14, 1942. Virtus joined the U.S. Army in October 1942 and served with 556th Signal Air Warning Battalion in Reykjavik, Iceland until returning home in 1945 and becoming a grain and livestock farmer. He was an active member of Zion United Methodist Church, where he served in various positions, the VFW, American Legion, Blue Cross Blue Shield Board of Directors, Burnt Prairie Township Board and for over 20 years served as a School Board member, Virtus had the opportunity to take part in the Honor Flight to Washington, DC in August 2014.
Surviving are his wife of 73 years, Blanche of Carmi; two daughters and sons-in-law, Janet and Kenny Woolsey and Sheila and Doug Westfall all of Carmi; three sons and two daughters-in-law, Richard Winter of Sesser, Alan and Teresa Winter of Cleveland, TN and Kevin and Kelly Winter of Carmi; a sister, Anna Marie Cooley of Akron, OH; nine grandchildren, Jarrett Winter, Sabrina Shun and husband Brian, Stacey Woolsey, Angie French and husband Jeff , Chris Winter, Melanie Winter, Ben Westfall and wife Ashley, Sarah Haley and husband Todd and Rachel Attebury and husband Brad; and 10 great-grandchildren. Virtus was preceded in death by two sisters, Flora Lee and Frances Winter; a brother, Earl Winter; three grandsons, Daniel, Darin and Jeremy Woolsey; a granddaughter-in-law, Kristen Woolsey; and one great-grandson, Henry Alan Haley.
Funeral Services for Virtus Winter, 94, of Carmi will be at 2:00 p.m., Friday at Zion United Methodist Church with Rev. Van Scott and Mike Fields officiating. Burial will be in White County Memorial Garden in Carmi with military rites by the Carmi American Legion and VFW. Friends may call at Campbell Funeral Home in Carmi on Thursday from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. The body will lie in state at Zion United Methodist Church after 1:00 p.m. Friday. Memorial contributions may be made in Virtus's memory to Foundation Fighting Blindness, P.O. Box 17279, Baltimore, MD 21298-9581 or Zion United Methodist Church and will be accepted at Campbell Funeral Home.
