Mr. Willie B. Winston

WINSTON, Mr. Willie B. - Age 92, went home to be with the Lord peacefully, surrounded by his family, Monday, October 14, 2013. Family hour 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 19, 2013 at Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church, 3502 Lapeer Rd., with funeral service commencing at 11 a.m. Pastor Marvin A. Jennings, Sr., officiating. Interment Flint Memorial Park Cemetery, G-9506 N. Dort Hwy. Friends and family will assemble at the church 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Mr. Winston will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 4-8 p.m. Friday. Mr. Willie Bernard Winston was born March 7, 1921 in Covington, Tennessee to parents William Winston and Maggie Dowell. Willie accepted Christ as a child and was a member of Bright Hill Baptist Church in Covington, Tennessee. Willie knew the Lord and the Lord knew him. As a young man, Mr. Winston moved to Portsmith, Virginia, where he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944. While stationed there, he met and married the loved of his life, Beauford Jeanette (Evans) Winston. Mr. Winston was member of a select group of men being trained at Tuskegee in aircraft repair, but was assigned to active duty overseas before completing his training. After finishing his tour of duty and being Honorably Discharged from the Army, Willie moved his wife and new baby, Tex, to Flint, Michigan in 1946. He gained employment with General Motors Corporation and resumed his passion of machine repair reaching his goal as Master Machinist. During this union, five more children were born, Wayne, Gary, Debra, Randy and Janice. Willie attended trade school at night and became a licensed TV/Appliance Repair Technician. He soon opened his business, “Winston’s TV and Repair Service” while continuing his employment with GM. Willie declined opportunities to move into management with GM in order to spend more time with his family and grow his business. Mr. Winston and his wife were determined to pay it forward and had long begun bringing and housing family members from the South here to Michigan to partake of the “American Dream.” He continued to grow as a Landlord and was always generous and understanding of his tenants. Willie was indeed an ambitious, industrious, and extremely intelligent man. He traveled for GM to assist in the development of new line techniques and received significant accolades from GM for suggestions he submitted which were soon put into use in the factories. Willie lost the love of his life, Beauford, after 56 years of marriage on May 7, 2000. Mr. Winston finally retired from General Motors with 57 years of outstanding service. Willie loved spending time with his family, socializing, hunting at his cabin up north, riding his Harley, tinkering, reading, helping others and “coaching his Detroit Tigers.” Mr. Winston leaves to cherish wonderful memories: daughters, Debra Winston Roberts and Janice Winston (Kenneth) Brashears; son, Randy Winston, all of Flint; daughter of his heart, Mable Jones; 11 grandchildren, Rochella Fitzpatrick, Wayne Winston, Rapheal Irving, Elijah Winston and Dedra Roberts, all of Flint, Raynell (CoQuese) Brown of State Park, PA, Lynn Caldwell and Bernard Winston of Atlanta, GA, Paris, Racquel, and Terrance Fontanelle of Baltimore, MD; 13 great-grandchildren; sister, Jennie Lee Stewart of Covington, TN; sisters-in-law, Almae Evans and Doreatha Evans, both of Flint; a host of nieces, nephews and cousins, all of whom were special to him including loyal friends, John White, Robert Scott, Elmore “Moe” Stinson and Joyce Benton. Mr. Winston was preceded in death by his wife, Beauford; sons, Tex, Wayne and Gary; parents; brother, Thomas Hill; and many other dear family members. The family would like to express special thanks to Pastor Marvin A Jennings, Sr., and the Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church Family for your many kindnesses. Dr. Elmahdi Saeed and staff of Hurley Medical Center, Professional Nursing Services Staff, Physical Therapist, Sam Kushvah, and caregiver, Lazarre Johnson.

Mr. Willie B. Winston

March 7, 1921 - October 14, 2013