William F. (Bill) Winter died Saturday, February 3, 2018 in Nampa, Idaho. Bill was born February 26, 1923 to Conrad and Agnes Peterson Winter at Mercy Hospital in Nampa. He attended Nampa Public Schools, graduating from Nampa High School in 1941. His interest in music started at an early age playing in a drum and bugles corp at the American Legion and continued through his school years playing in bands, and jazz bands. He played in John Dieffenbach's dance band after WWII and was a member of the Nampa City and Musician's Union Band for many years playing for concerts in the band shell at Lakeview Park, Veteran's Home, and Julia Davis Park in Boise on holidays. He joined the Navy Dec. 7, 1942 and was sent to various schools in Boise, Chicago, and Stillwater, OK where he played drum cadence during marching drills. He graduated from radar school (at that time the Navy's secret defense weapon) in San Francisco. He served as an electronic technician on the destroyer, USS Wren during WWII, first in Attu, Alaska, bombarding the Japanese on Kurile Islands, then the South Pacific forming a picket line with other destroyers protecting the carriers and battle ships from the Kamikaze submarines and airplanes. His ship was anchored in Tokyo Bay alongside the USS Missouri, when the Japanese surrender took place. After the war he was a partner with Glen Purdy in a service station P & W Richfield. It was during that time he met his future wife, Geraldine Tovey. They were married July 9, 1950 and this union was blessed with four beautiful children. Bill was called back to active duty during the Korean War serving 16 months aboard the destroyer USS Buck. After his discharge he helped in the building of the Edmark car dealership on the corner of 6th Ave and 3rd St. where he was a mechanic. He drove a gas truck for Gem State Oil Co. and worked for Winther Music Co. installing and repairing TV's. In 1960 he and his partners, Skeets and Delbert Peebles, formed Peebles Winter Music Co. in Nampa and Boise. In Nampa they were first located at the Hasbrook House, then the old KFXD Studios and finally built their own building at 604 12 Ave. So. They sold the business in 1986. He continued working from a shop in his home repairing instruments for local music stores until retiring in 2003. He was well known for his friendly personality and his honesty in business dealings. He served in leadership positions in community and church organizations. He was a member of the 35th Ward of the LDS Church, president of the Nampa Exchange Club, co-president of the Nampa Civic Center Auxiliary, president of Majors and Minors, and president of his USS Wren Navy organization. He was preceded in death by his parents; and older sister Mary Gausta; and is survived by his wife Geraldine of Nampa; children: Linda (Doug) Holmes of Layton, UT, Stephanie (Jeff) Ramage of Nampa, Bill (Julia) Winter of Glenns Ferry, and JoAnna (Kevin) Blaylock of Brigham City, UT; 15 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 10 at the LDS Chapel located at 1500 Smith Ave in Nampa with a viewing from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m. at the church prior to the services. Interment at the Idaho State Veteran's Cemetery. Arrangements by Zeyer Funeral Chapel, Nampa. 208-467-7300. Condolences may be expressed at ZeyerFuneralChapel.com
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