Alan Winthrop

STEVENSVILLE - Alan Winthrop, 97, of Stevensville, Montana, died the afternoon of Wednesday, April 13, 2016 at the Bitterroot Living Center in the company of his family. He had an engaging personality, a sharp mind, a delightful sense of humor, and was warm and kind to all he knew. He is sorely missed.

Al was born May 24, 1918 in Tamaroa, Illinois to Walter and Verda (Webb) Winthrop. He had an older brother Julian, and a younger sister Dorothy (“Dot”).  Al attended high school in Du Quoin, Illinois where he met his wife-to-be, Bernice Britton. The two were married on July 8, 1940. They recently celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary together.

After high school, Al and his brother Julian found work at the National Tea Company creating advertisements for the grocery store chain. Al and Bernice’s daughter Judith Ann (“Judy”) was born May 1, 1941. Al and Bernice moved to Benton Harbor, Michigan where Al worked as a butcher.  With the onset of World War II, Al volunteered for the United States Navy Submarine Service. He served in the Pacific Theater, stationed in Hawaii and Midway Island. His second daughter, Mary Kathryn, was born on December 3, 1944.

After Al’s discharge from the Navy in 1946, he and Bernice built a beautiful home in Highland Park, Illinois, and Al worked a long and illustrious career at the Leo Burnett Company in Chicago as an advertising copywriter. Drawing on his artistic creativity and wonderful sense of humor, he led many national advertising campaigns until his retirement in 1976.

Al was gifted with a sharp intellect, and had a great variety of interests that included woodworking, gardening, art and history. He was always active and fit, and loved hiking, cross country skiing and biking.  He loved nothing more than spending time with his grandchildren and sharing his interests.

Al had a passion for genealogy and traced his family’s roots to the earliest years of the American colonies and earlier to England and Europe.  He traveled to many regions of the world with his wife Bernice. With his cousin Jack Winthrop he traveled the length of England by bicycle, while tracing early Winthrop family roots. Al and Bernice moved to Stevensville, Montana in 2005.

Al is survived by his wife Bernice, his two daughters (Judy Petersen of Victor, Montana and Mary Lindwall of Lake City, Michigan), four grandchildren (Elizabeth Delaney, James Petersen, Kathryn Jobson, and Nils Lindwall), and nine great-grandchildren (Michaela, Christopher, and Megan Delaney; Nathaniel and Eleanor Jobson; Emma and Jack Lindwall; and Kimberly and Cristian Petersen).

His family will hold a memorial service at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, April 16, 2016 at the Bitterroot Living Center. He will be buried in the Victor, Montana cemetery.