Magdalena "Helen" Winter

Magdalena “Helen” Winter passed away peacefully on March 7, 2025 at the age of 92. Magdalena was born in Krnjaja, Yugoslavia to Josef Abt and Magdalena Gartner. She lived in Traunstein, Germany, ultimately moving to Windsor, Canada in the 1950s where she met her husband of 60+ years, Karl Robert Winter. Helen and Robert (known affectionately as “Oma” and “Opa”) then moved to Shelby Township, Michigan, where they spent decades in their home on a lake raising their children Karl, Alex, and Elisabeth. Helen pursued her career as an acclaimed tailor where she famously served several Detroit Lions football players. She was known by her family to be an excellent cook and baker. She and her sister Katharina Lyons and sister-in-law Lore Abt threw large family Christmas parties with delicious homemade German food and pastries. Helen’s culinary specialties included mocha log, knödels, and nuss kipfel.

Helen was an extraordinarily generous person who was beloved by her family and friends. She was always helping those in need and giving to her community. She sang in the choir in her local church at Saint Kieran and was active in the German Carpathia club. She also loved attending her children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events and other activities. Later in her life, she lived with her daughter Elisabeth in Hingham, MA and was seen loudly cheering in the stands at tennis matches or high school football games. Helen was also a wonderful host of family gatherings. Oma cooked legendary German meals when she and Opa hosted parties on the lake in Shelby Township, MI. She also regularly beat family members in large rounds of Progressive Rummy card games. 

Helen was predeceased by her husband, Robert and her brother, Sebastian Abt. She is survived by her sister Katharina Lyons and Katharina’s husband Dave, sister-in-law Lore Abt, daughter Elisabeth Vanzura and Elisabeth’s husband Rick, son Alex Winter and Alex’s wife Cecelia Degillio, and son Karl Winter and Karl’s wife Bernadette. She is also survived by her grandchildren Liz Winter-Alvarado and Liz’s husband Benny, Jason Degillio and Jason’s wife Debra, Cassidy Nakpil and Cassidy's husband Aren, Bailey Winter, Danielle Vanzura, Jacqueline Vanzura and Grant Vanzura. 

Services will be held for Helen at 12:00 pm ET on March 22nd at Heavenly Rest Family of Catholic Cemeteries (at the Chapel) in Windsor, Ontario Canada followed by a 1:00 pm ET lunch reception at Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Road. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association in Helen’s name. Helen’s favorite saying was “every day is a bonus,” and she will always be remembered as the best and kindest grandmother, mother, friend, and person to everyone who knew her.