Walter W. Winget 1936-2014
Walter W. Winget, 77, of Peoria, Ill., passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 16, 2014, at his home, surrounded by many of his loved ones.
He was born Sept. 12, 1936, in Peoria, Ill., the son of Walter and Arabella (Richardson) Winget. He married Alice (Bagdade) Winget on Sept. 23, 1995, in Ann Arbor, Mich. She survives.
Also surviving are his loving children, Marie Winget, recently of Richmond, Va., and Marshall (Carol) Winget of Kirkland, Wash. He also was blessed with loving stepchildren, Vicki (Chuck) Lantz of Saint Charles, Ill., and Julie (Dan) Machock of Venice, Calif.; and two grandchildren, Nathan Winget and Benny Machock.
Walter was preceded in death by his parents.
He graduated from Peoria High School in 1954, Princeton University with honors in 1958 and the University of Michigan Law School in 1961. At Princeton, he majored in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, was captain of the rifle team and received a varsity letter for setting an all-time Princeton shooting record in 1958. At Michigan, he was senior judge of the Case Clubs Moot Court Competition and a research assistant for Professor Spencer Kimball. For two summers during law school, he worked for Shearman & Sterling & Wright in New York City, and after law school for three years for Edwards & Angell in Providence, R.I.
In 1964, he returned to Peoria, where he practiced law, until his retirement in 2000, in the last 27 years of his practice with his partner, James F. Kane. He was president of the Peoria County Bar Association in 1991-1992, was certified as a civil trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and was listed in Leading Illinois Attorneys. He was a past chairman of the Family Law Committee of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and was a frequent lecturer before, and founder of, the Continuing Education Committee of the Peoria County Bar Association. He served as assistant public defender, Peoria County, from 1969-1970, and from 1979-81 was chairman of the Board of Directors of the Better Business Bureau of Central Illinois. For 25 years, he was a member of the Schools Committee of Princeton University, interviewing prospective students throughout central Illinois, and was also a lifelong member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, the Oakland Hall Hunting Club of Estill, S.C., and the Country Club of Peoria,
For many years, he and his Registered Therapy Dog Labrador Retrievers, Nelle and Surely, were familiar figures, visiting Peoria nursing homes and competing on the United Kennel Club Hunt Test Circuit. He was a member of a number of conservation and shooting organizations and he regularly competed and hunted nationally and internationally. In 2008, he was the NRA Super Senior National Silhouette Rifle Shooting Champion with both light and heavy rifles.
Walt's greatest love was his wife, Alice. They were blessed with over 21 wonderful years of being together and sharing in their joys of family, friends, their dogs, travel and the great outdoors. Alice joined Walt in his passion for hunting, shooting and greeting sunrises, while duck, turkey and deer hunting.
Memorials may be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church.
Online tributes and condolences may be made at www.Davison-Fulton.com.
Member Comments (1)
Walter was a genuine prince of a man. His character and professionalism were second to no one. I might go months or longer without seeing him, but when we would by chance encounter each other once more, the liveliness and great cheer that he brought would be like a refreshing tonic. His eyes would sparkle as he spoke, he just possessed that type of spirit.
I liked Walter very much and I will miss seeing him. My thoughts are with his loved ones as they must be feeling the sense of loss at a deeper, familial based level.