Gaylord "Barney" Junior Winfield

Gaylord “Barney” Winfield, age 96,of LeRoy, MN, passed away on January 10, 2023, at Mission Regional Medical Center in Mission, TX.

Gaylord Junior “Barney” Winfield was born on April 27, 1926, to Dale and Bessie (Losee) Winfield. He graduated from Marble Rock high school in 1944. At 18 years old, he enlisted in the US Army in 1944 and served in WWII until 1945. He was stationed in Germany and France as a PFC-1st Combat Engineer and on April 17, 1945, he was wounded in action at Hartz Forest.  Barney received a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Good Conduct Award, and WWII Victory Ribbon. He was a proud member of the American Legion for 77 years after his service.

Barney married the love of his life, Shirley "Jerry" Worley on April 21, 1946; to this union are 11 children. Barney and Jerry farmed near Marble Rock, IA and in spring of 1964, they purchased the Pooley farm and their family of 12 moved to LeRoy, MN. He was an outstanding steward of the land and a very proud farmer.

He was a long-time member of the McIntire Methodist Church and he always prayed for peace, the hungry and the homeless.  He served on the LeRoy Farmer’s Co-Op board for several years and was a Dekalb dealer for years.  He enjoyed spending 36 winters in Mission, TX, staying at Tradewinds for 10 years and Fiesta Village for 26 years. When he wasn’t farming, Barney enjoyed fishing trips to Canada and most of all, spending time with his family at Lake Tetonka in Waterville.

Barney is survived by his children Christina (Darrel) Anderson, Sandra (Gary) Marth, Selma (Dan) Marth, Barbara (Thomas) Hovde, Dennis (Diane) Winfield, Leu (Linda) Winfield, Richard Winfield and special friend Pat Hovde, Shirley (Roger) Kiefer, Robin (John) Bauer, Marcie (Christopher) Hall; 41 grandchildren, 95 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great grandchildren.

He was preceeded in death by his wife Shirley "Jerry" Winfield; daughter Pamela Jutzi; son-in-law Gary Smith, four grandchildren, parents Dale and Bessie Winfield, sister Marvel Johnson, brothers Owen Winfield and Merrill Dean Winfield. 

Funeral services for Barney will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, January 20, 2023, at the Presbyterian Church in LeRoy, MN; Dr. Donna Ihns will be officiating. Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 19, 2023, from 4-7 pm at the church and will continue one hour prior to the funeral Friday. Burial will be at the LeRoy Cemetery. Hindt Funeral Homes is assisting in the arrangements. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials directed toward the McIntire Methodist Church, or any of the donor’s choice to help ease hunger in our country.