- Date Of Birth: November 3, 1924
- Date Of Death: May 22, 2015
- State: Indiana
Joseph D. “Sam” Winer, 90, of Bristol and formerly of Elkhart, died of natural causes Friday, May 22, at Greenleaf Health Campus in Elkhart.
Joseph was born Nov. 3, 1924, in Elkhart, to Julis and Julia Winer of Elkhart.
He had a brother, Ray O. Winer, who preceded him in death.
Joseph graduated high school from Elkhart Central and attended college at the Western University of Michigan, in Kalamazoo, Mich.
He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps where he was a pilot and flight instructor. After the U.S. Army Air Corps, Joseph came back to Elkhart to work at the family wholesale recycling business, Sam Winer Co. (the oldest family-run business in Elkhart), started by his grandfather, Sam Winer, in 1883.
He met Barbara Oklitz of Elkhart and was married on May 7, 1949, in Indianapolis. Barbara preceded Joseph in death on March 4, 2012.
Survivors include three sons, Joseph M. (Rebecca) Winer and James J. (Charlotte) Winer, both of Elkhart, and Patrick (Cathy) Winer of Mokena, Ill.; daughter-in-law Pamela Winer of Tampa, Fla.; 11 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by a son, Robert Ray Winer, on Oct. 24, 1990.
Joseph was a third-generation businessman at Sam Winer Co. Everyone called him Sam because of the business name. People all throughout Elkhart would stop him in restaurants, post offices, and malls, while getting gas or just walking down the street to say “Hi, Sam.” He would always stop to talk to them with a big smile. They would proceed to tell the family that they have known Sam their entire lives and what a great person he was, and later in life, their children would do the same, generation after generation.
Joseph enjoyed being called Sam, he appreciated and enjoyed every one of his customers and employees. There is a story that several years ago he had some employees who did not have a car, so every Sunday he would pick them up and take them to the grocery store and help them with their errands. He cared about his community and he really loved Elkhart.
Through the Sam Winer Co., he helped the Ronald McDonald House, numerous churches and many charities. He truly enjoyed helping people.
Joseph was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church and Elks Lodge 425 for 70 years and Moose Lodge of Elkhart for 42 years.
