Melvin Winters

Visitation will be at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 24 at Grace United Methodist Church, 11485 S. Ridgeview Road, Olathe, KS. A memorial service will follow at 10:00. Burial will take place at the Woodbine (Kan.) Cemetery.

Winters served as Olathe superintendent from 1968 to 1991. He also was superintendent at Parsons, Kan., and assistant superintendent of the former Washington School District (now part of Kansas City, Kan.), where he began his teaching career in 1949.

After graduation from Woodbine, Kan., High School, Winters served in the Navy air corps from 1943-45. He then earned bachelor and master's degrees in education from Emporia State University. He was awarded a doctorate in education administration from the University of Kansas in 1962.

Winters served on several education and civic boards, including terms as past president and executive board member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association and a member of the Advisory Councils on Teachers Education at KU. Civil involvement included service with the Rotary Club, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce, Johnson County branch of the American Cancer Society, the Olathe United Way and board of the Olathe Public Library.

He was named American Educator the Year in 1980 by the American Counselor Association. He also received the Kansas University Educational Alumni Association "apple" award for distinguished service in 1991; the Mid American Nazarene College distinguished community award in 1991 and the City of Olathe Image and Pride Award in 1991. He was named the Olathe Citizen of the Year in 1980.

Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Jenice; children Timothy Winters and Linda, Melanie Busse and Kent, Ty Winters and Brie, and Jill Harrelson; grandchildren Kari Gable, Molly Winters, Tyler Harrelson, Jake Winters, Jamie Winters and Emma Winters; and great-grandchildren Colin Gable, MacFerren Gable and Quinlyn Gable.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters and three brothers.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions to Grace United Methodist Church in Olathe or the M.L. Winters Scholarship Fund through the Olathe Public Schools Foundation (315 N. Lindenwood Dr., Olathe, KS 66062).