Obituary: Edward August Winkenhower

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Edward August Winkenhower

Edward August Winkenhower passed away on May 15, surrounded by family at his home in Malibu.

Winkenhower was born on June 30, 1930 in San Antonio, Texas to parents Oliver and Vivien Winkenhower. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1947 with a National Society Honor Roll Certificate and an Honor Roll Activities Certificate for tennis. He moved with his family to California in 1947 to attend USC. 

At USC, he joined the NROTC in 1948 and he was a member of the Fighting Top Fraternity and Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity. He received a certificate for Ball and Chain for outstanding leadership in 1949. In September of 1950, Winkenhower became a Midshipman Petty Officer Second Class and, later, a Midshipman Ensign with the NROTC. In 1951, he was commissioned as an Ensign and received orders to the USS Juneau (CLAA-119) during the Korean War, then later deployed to the USS Ashtabula (AO-51), which delivered petroleum products to other ships. When a gas fume built up in the Avgas tanks causing the ship to blow up severely injuring him, he endured nine months of medical treatment and was subsequently honorably discharged from the Navy in 1951. He graduated from USC with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1951. 

Winkenhower met Joanne in 1960 and they married in 1961. Their marriage lasted 49 years. 

In 1962, Winkenhower earned his master’s degree and began teaching at Lincoln Junior High School for 18 years and then at Santa Monica High School for another 18 years. 

Winkenhower received teaching credentials in 1962 and a real estate brokers’ license in 1964, enabling him and Joanne to design and build a home in Malibu in 1965. In 1966, he received his Life Diploma from the California Board of Education. After he retired, Winkenhower substituted at Malibu Park High School until he was in his 70s. 

Winkenhower and Joanne raised children Denise, Lawrence and Nadine. He is survived by 10 grandchildren; Travis, Kyle, Ashley, Taylor, Brittany, Daulton, Dakota, Katie, William and Troy, as well as, Bo, Nadine’s husband, and his brother, Bobbie and family; Alison, Dan, Zachary, Jordan, Dane, David, John, Sara, Travis, Mattius and Marcus. 

A private memorial service will take place in Malibu.    Â