Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Winy was given the name Winifred Renee Kugel when she was born to her parents Sylvia and William Kugel in 1921. She was born in Amsterdam and raised with her sisters Lillian and Anita. When she was two and a half years old, the family moved to Paris. Her father worked in the diamond business and later in real estate. The children had a governess and the family was very sophisticated. All of the children spoke Dutch with their mother. Winy had a great love of languages and she had an amazing memory. She grew up interested in the arts. Her forte was classical music and opera. She loved listening Bach, Beethoven and Vivaldi, as her parents took her to classical concerts, museums, and the theatre. The family moved around a lot in Europe. When Winy's father read Hitler's Mein Kampf, he had a premonition that it would all come true and made plans for his family to escape. It wasn't easy as they had to leave some of their personal belongings behind. They left Belgium, took a boat to Canada, and moved to Montreal in 1938. That move saved their lives. Winy attended two years of Business College in Montreal. She excelled in secretarial skills by typing 90 words a minute on a manual typewriter and her shorthand was very good. In the mid-40s, Winy moved to Washington D.C., where she worked for the World Bank and The Office of Strategic Services or the OSS, a predecessor to the CIA.

In 1952, Winy and her parents moved to the United States, settling in Beverly Hills, California. Winy was very elegant, trendy and she knew fashion. She had a nice figure, her nails were manicured and her hair was always beautiful. She was an asset to the offices where she worked. She was lovely, smart, educated and talented. In the 1950s, she worked for doctors as a medical secretary or what we now call a personal assistant. She was appreciated in every workplace, because she was devoted to her responsibilities.

Winy had a real gift as she spoke five languages: Dutch, French, English, Spanish and a little German. She took an interest in the Latin culture and she was enamored with the Spanish language. She had learned Spanish in three months time from a Cuban tutor in Canada and she really wanted to use the language. She traveled to Mexico in 1956. She stayed at a hotel, where she met the managing family. She connected with Gustavo, who was the owner's son, and she fell in love with him. He wrote her love letters, which she saved for the rest of her life. Her relationship with the love of her life resulted in the birth of her only son, Raul. Winy and Raul lived in Mexico from 1957 to 1963. While in Mexico, she worked in a big pharmaceutical firm as an executive secretary and personal assistant. She was truly efficient, organized and gave her all when she worked. She was always valued as an employee. Winy and Raul returned to the United States and moved into the West Hollywood area of Southern California, where Raul started first grade. Raul had a Catholic upbringing and the family celebrated all of the holidays from Easter to Christmas. He was also an altar boy at church. He attended Catholic school for many years and went on to graduate from Hollywood High School.

As a mother, Winy was extremely dedicated to her son. She was protective, loving and caring. They had a dynamic relationship because it was just the two of them. She was really both mom and dad to him. Growing up, he could confide in her about anything and they developed a friendship as they did everything together. It was difficult for her when he left for summer camps, but she was so happy when he came home again. Every other Sunday, they had dinner with Winy's parents. They always celebrated birthdays and holidays with the extended family. Throughout her life, she adored classical music, but she also appreciated songs by the Beatles and the social changes that came with that era. In August of 1966, she took Raul to one of the last Beatles concerts at Dodgers Stadium. In the middle of her life, she was passionate about horse races and she studied her horses. She read the newspaper regularly, kept up on current events and enjoyed doing crossword puzzles. She also loved food and was an avid reader of the critic's restaurant reviews. She enjoyed many meals at restaurants, as she appreciated fine cuisine. She especially liked her desserts and sweets. She was also a great cook at home. For fun, she watched television, as she was fond of PBS, Masterpiece Theatre, NOVA, and her favorite sitcoms. While she didn't like watching violence, she did enjoy movies of all kinds from drama to comedy.

Despite a diagnosis of macular degeneration in 1973, she didn't let it stop her from living. She was determined and strong-willed. She was legally blind by 1980, but she reinvented herself. She attended the Braille Institute and they encouraged her to join Toastmasters. It opened a new chapter of her life. Even though she was reserved and private, she started to do public speaking and she was good at it. She also supported Dr. John Heckenlively in his research into the treatment of eye disease. She knew Dr. Heckenlively for 27 years and valued his work.

When Raul attended college in Phoenix, Arizona, it was hard for Winy because her world revolved around him. But, she was so proud when he graduated with his degree from DeVry University in 1980 and she attended his graduation ceremonies. She was pleased when he earned a job as a technician on the Bradley tank system at Hughes Aircraft.

Through the years, Winy traveled a lot, especially later in life. There were trips to Mexico, Montreal, Vancouver British Columbia for the 1986 World's Fair, Oregon, Tahiti, Jamaica, Switzerland, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and even a Caribbean cruise. She loved to laugh and had a good sense of humor. Even when she had health problems, she wasn't a real complainer. Instead, she went on with her life and her plans as best she could. After surgeries two years ago, Raul was a wonderful caretaker to her. Although she became more dependent over the last few years, she lived in her own home until the end. Raul visited her on Sunday morning at the hospital. He held her hand and told her, "I love you." Thirty minutes later, as he was holding her hand, she passed away peacefully. He is grateful he had the opportunity to say goodbye.

Winy's purpose in life was to raise a wonderful son and she did exactly that. She was an amazing aunt, as she always remembered birthdays and sent cards to everyone in the family. She was thoughtful of others. Raul will write a letter to his mother and have it placed into her casket along with a love letter from his father to Winy. She treasured those love letters her entire life. Her advice to everyone would be to grow and develop, be strong and resilient, and have a happy life. Raul will miss her companionship and his best friend, because she was a big force in his life. Winy believed in God and her family feels they will be reunited with her one day.

Winy was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Lillian. She is loved and remembered by her son Raul; sister Anita; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; extended family and friends.

Memorial donations are welcome in Winy Kenley's name to the Braille Institute www.brailleinstitute.org or the Kellogg Eye Center www.kellogg.umich.edu.