Winnifred A. "Winnie" Juvik

Winnifred Ann Staack was born on July 11, 1924 in Clayton County, Iowa. She was the second of two daughters born to William and Esther Staack, both of German descent, and her first language was German. She attended her first eight years of school in a one-room schoolhouse, the Mecklenburg School, with other children of German descent and learned to speak English there. When it came time for high school, there was none within walking distance. Her parents considered education important so, with her consent, sent her to Elkader, Iowa, to live with her paternal Aunt Anna where she stayed during the school week, returning home on weekends. Although she missed being home, Aunt Anna influenced her on the ins and outs of “being a lady” which she managed but only if it didn’t interfere with love and fairness and treating all life forms with respect. After high school she went to work at a grocery store in Elkader. There was a guy who came in, Bertin Juvik, who caught her eye, and he hers. Her father was not keen on the relationship, and, although Bertin wanted to drive her home from work, her dad would not allow it. Eventually, her dad lost that battle and Winnifred and Bertin married on October 12, 1944. Bert and Winnie had four children Judy, Richard, Patty and Mary. Winnie was an active participant in running the family dairy farm and taking on various other responsibilities that went with it, including being a 4-H leader and a Sunday School teacher, assisting in calf births, teaching calves to drink from a pail after weaning, gardening, canning, butchering and raising children, managing, feeding and disciplining visiting cousins and always doing it all with love. After retirement Bert and Winnie moved to Benicia in 1996. They were already very familiar with Benicia from having visited their daughters Mary and Patty who lived there and found it to be a very comfortable and warm community. They quickly found a welcoming congregation at Benicia Lutheran Church. Although Bert passed away in 1998, Winnie established long and lasting relationships with many wonderful and caring people at Benicia Lutheran Church. Winnie had a very strong constitution and was a woman of very strong faith. Many times throughout her life her faith was tested, yet she always said to her children, “It will be okay,” even when we never dreamed it could be ever again: when the house burned the day before Christmas Eve and she had four children that still got a Christmas Eve, when she lost a grandson in a car accident at the age of 17 and wanted to make it okay for her daughter, when she lost two of her four children in 2009 only 10 months apart, when her husband was diagnosed with an inoperable malignant tumor. After the loss of two of her children our family expanded to include our newly adopted family Richard Brennan and the extended Brennan Clan, Emily, Dan (and Morgan), Mimi, and Richard’s sisters and their families. They have been very much a part of our family over the past eight years. Winnie’s view of family included everyone, human or four-legged whom she loved, and there were many. We, as her family, know of no person or animal she met who didn’t love her. Those of us remaining behind to miss her include her daughter Judy and husband John Walsh, her daughter Mary and husband Jose Gomes, her grandson Kerry Easley and wife Donna Trocino, great grandson Zachary Dubel and wife Courtney, daughter-in-law Cheri Brenner, many nieces and nephews, cousins, sisters-in-law, the Brennans and many, many friends. Those who left us earlier and can now once again enjoy her company include her husband Bert, her children Richard and Patty, her grandson Darrel, her parents and parents-in-law, her sister Lucile and nephews, brothers-in-law, cousins, and, of course, many, many friends. If you wish to honor Winnie’s memory with a donation, please give to your favorite animal, environmental or other charity in her name. Memorial services will be held at Benicia Lutheran Church, 201 Raymond Drive, 2PM on Wednesday, January 10.

Winnifred A. "Winnie" Juvik

July 11, 1924 - January 5, 2018