Cona Mae Harper
Female
Date of Birth
30 JAN 1931
Datto, Clay County, Arkansas
Date of Death
9 APR 2015
Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana
Find a grave
FAG - 144992212 - Burial unknown
Parents
Father: Alvin Harper
Mother: Jessie Morrison
Marriage(s)
- Douglas Hughes
-
Living Person
6 OCT 1963 - Anderson, Madison, Indiana
-
Unknown
6 OCT 1963 - Anderson, Madison, Indiana
Children
Notes
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Name: Cona May Winkel Birth Date: 30 Jan 1931 Phone Number: 247-3894 Address: 3819 S Rangeline Rd, Anderson, IN, 46017-2068 [PO Box 186, Shoals, IN, 47581-0186 (1994)] [11427 Tedrow Ln, Shoals, IN, 47581-7169 (1993)] [5654 Gun Shop Rd, Shoals, IN, 47581-7170] BLOOMINGTON - Cona Mae (Harper) Winkel, Bloomington, Ind. Loving family at her side, in the early morning hour, Thursday, April 9, 2015, Cona Mae (Harper) Winkel, 84, peacefully departed this earthly home for her joyous Heavenly reunion. Born Jan. 30, 1931, in Datto, Ark., she was the first of four daughters born to Alvin and Jessie (Morrison) Harper. Cona Mae and younger sister, Norma Faye, (two years apart) were their Daddy’s helpers in the cotton fields. At ages 14 and 12, the girls were baptized together in Kennett, Mo., and began their lifelong journey as members of the Church of Christ. The family moved to Indiana in the late 1940s, and as a teen Cona worked at the Post Office Café in Anderson. There she met and later married Douglas Hughes. As a young mother, Cona worked part-time selling Stanley Home Products, before eventually joining Delco Remy General Motors. After her first marriage ended in 1962, she later married Raymond Winkel. Together for 42 years, they formed one of the first “blended families” of the ’60s with nine children between them. Overcoming many challenges and obstacles, the family enjoyed many years of happy memories at “the Farm,” Ray’s boyhood home in the southern Indiana hills of Shoals. They purchased the home and 80 acres for their retirement. They say “you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl,” and Cona Mae was a hard-working country kinda gal. She loved nature and being outdoors. She looked so forward to spring, planting flowers and working their huge garden. When the grandchildren visited they were put to work picking and breaking beans, and were thrilled to be part of the Farmer’s Market on Saturdays! Oh yes, did I mention she could cook? “You want butter under it or ice cream over it?” she’d ask when serving her mouth-watering cobbler! Cona and Ray’s other passion….camping and fishing (with nine kids no less), are you kidding me! Cona operated like a well-oiled machine! Whether it be having dinner prepared before leaving for church, or fixing meals for 11 in the great outdoors, she was unbelievable! Beautifully determined, organized, unstoppable, one in a million. In August 2001, they headed to Anderson to have lunch with Ray’s sister and brother-in-law, Hazel and Charlie Dickmann. A car crash…their lives were changed forever. Cona received the most serious injuries. She bravely faced and conquered months of rehab! Moving back to Anderson, they located in Red Bud Estates and eventually moved in with their son, Tim. Cona was preceded in death by her parents; spouse, Raymond; daughter, Mickey (Hughes) Parsons; son, Randy Hughes; granddaughter, Cheree Hughes; infant grandson, Jade Swanson; and grandson, Jamie Lunsford. Surviving are son, Tim Winkel; daughters, Vickie (Hughes) Robinson and Tammy Hughes; sisters, Norma Musick, Patsy Smith (Ray), and Wilma English (Kenny); grandchildren, Hank Swanson (Annette) with Dax, Lexi, Jade; Heidi Horton with Lizzi, Ashli, Kash; Travis Lunsford with Dylan; Michelle Hughes with Jayden, Navin; Justin Hughes with Kinley; Aleshia Robbins (Nate); Dusten Henderson (Samantha) with Kyla, Marissa, Dakota; great-granddaughter, Shelby Kirkwood (Ben) with great-great-grandchildren Bennett and Aubrey; great-grandchildren, Hayley Bragg and Colin Lunsford; special friends, Jim and Jean Kendall with Virginia, Rex, Kerrie; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.