Thelma Clare "T. C." (Volger) Winchell (2018)

BROWNLEE, EICHLIN, LONG, RUSH, VOLGER, WEITZEL, WINCHELL

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:03:14

Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Iowa
Friday, April 6, 2017

T.C. Winchell

Johnston - T.C. Winchell was born Thelma Clare Volger in Los Angeles, California, on July 17, 1943. She died in Johnston, Iowa, on April 3, 2018.

T.C. grew up in Muscatine, Iowa. She attended St. Mathias Catholic School and Hayes Catholic High School in Muscatine, Rosary College in Illinois, and the University of Iowa. T.C. taught elementary school math in Cedar Rapids and Montessori preschool in West Des Moines. T.C. studied computer programming at Des Moines Area Community College, and she worked as a systems analyst at Dial Financial, which later became Wells Fargo, in Des Moines.

T.C.'s Catholic faith was a guiding light in her life, and she lived out her faith through community service. She was active in St. Mathias parish in Muscatine, St. Mary of Nazareth parish in Des Moines, Sacred Heart parish in West Des Moines, St. Francis of Assisi parish in West Des Moines, Bear Creek Friends Meeting House in Earlham, and Our Lady of Peace parish at Bishop Drumm in Johnston. She volunteered at the Catholic Worker House in Des Moines, the Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville, and Hospice of Central Iowa in Des Moines.

T.C. met her husband Dr. Robert Winchell at Mass at the Catholic Worker House. T.C. and Bob married at the Bear Creek Friends Meeting House on November 27, 2010, and at Our Lady of Peace Chapel at Bishop Drumm on November 28, 2016. T.C. and Bob were brought together by their spirituality and commitment to making their faith part of their lives; they often went to both Catholic and Quaker services. T.C. and Bob shared a love of traveling, movies, restaurants, music, and their children and grandchildren.

T.C. and her family thank Bishop Drumm Retirement Center, HCI Care Services (Hospice of Central Iowa), and Senior Helpers for providing her with dedicated and compassionate care during her long illness.

T.C. will be welcomed into heaven by her father George J. Volger and her mother Thelma Volger. She is survived by her husband Bob and by children A.J. (Shana) Rush of Lowell, MI, Ben (Beth) Rush of Elmhurst, IL, Caleb Rush of Elmhurst, IL, Rachel Rush (Coleman Long) of London, Rebecca Rush of Denver, CO, Sarah Winchell of Des Moines, John (Katie) Winchell of Prairie City, and Joe Winchell (Rachel Brownlee) of Van Meter. She is survived by seven grandchildren: Abby and Belle Rush; David, Zachary and Jillian Rush; Edith Long; and Wesley Winchell. She is survived by siblings Mary Elizabeth Eichlin of Easton, PA; George M. (Pat) Volger of Apex, NC; and Helen Volger (Paul Weitzel) of Wausau, WI.

T.C. will be remembered at a Catholic funeral service at Bishop Drumm at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 8; and at a future memorial service at the Bear Creek Friends Meeting House. T.C. will be buried at the Winchell family plot in Lawrence, KS.

In keeping with her giving spirit during her life, T.C. donated her body to the University of Iowa. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to HCI Care Services, the Des Moines Catholic Worker, or Bishop Drumm Retirement Center.