Margaret Elaine Winton

Margaret Elaine Winton of Ventura passed away peacefully at the home of her son Michael in Oxnard, California on January 14, 2016 with longtime caretaker, son Bruce, and family at her side. She was born 90 years ago on January 2, 1926 in Neenah, Wisconsin to John Carl Ballas (Johann Karl Wilhelm Ballas) and Marie "Mayme" Lemke Ballas (Marie Wilhemena Frederica Lemke). "Muggs", as she was known

to her high school classmates, graduated from Neenah Sr. High School in 1943. She was graduated from the Columbia School of Nursing in Milwaukee in 1947. Margaret and a girlfriend traveled "out west" to Cheyenne, Wyoming for their first jobs as registered nurses. It was there that she met her future husband, Truman R.J. Winton, who was stationed at nearby Fort Warren after the war. They were married on Oct. 2, 1948 at the Fort. When R.J. left the service in 1949, they moved to California to be near RJ's family and where RJ worked on a ranch for his sister Helen's husband, Joe Leary. Margaret

and RJ enjoyed seeing the world together and before long RJ, who grew up on a farm, left the ranch for good and enlisted in the Air Force. After his retirement from the Air Force, they returned again to California. Margaret and RJ settled in Ventura over 50 years ago. In 1987 Margaret retired from the Ventura Internal Medicine Group in Ventura where she thoroughly enjoyed her many years as Dr. Paul

G. Fillmore's nurse. Margaret is preceded in death by her husband, R.J., who died after 39 years of marriage in 1987; her parents, John and Mayme; her brother, Frederick Carl "Buz" Ballas, and her sister, Juanita Mae Ballas. She is survived by 3 sons, Randy (Judy Helkenberg Busey Winton), Michael (Fran Patrice Dickfoss Winton), and Bruce; and 3 grandsons; Jeremy (Jacklyn), Nathan (Briana) of Ventura and Matthew of Oxnard; and 4 great grandchildren; Jake (21), Layne (13), Grant (6) and Trent (3), all of Ventura; and step-great granddaughter Autumn Busey (3) of Topanga, daughter of Jake Busey and April Hutchinson. Although Margaret belonged to no church in her later years, being a lifelong Lutheran was an important part of her life. She very much enjoyed traveling, reading, writing, and doing difficult crossword puzzles and spending time with her children and their families. Margaret lived a long, very interesting, and often adventurous life. She never made an enemy, and had very many friends, most of whom passed before she did. She will be missed and lovingly remembered by her family and all who knew her.

The family would also like to thank Roze Room Hospice for their TLC in the last weeks of Margaret's life.