Nancy Stauffer Winter

Nancy Stauffer Winter, 84, of Eau Claire, WI, went to her heavenly home while surrounded by her loving family on August 7, 2025, after a long battle with progressive supranuclear palsy.

Nancy was born on April 19, 1941, in Antigo, WI, to Howard and Vivian (Elstad) Stauffer. Her family moved to Wausau, WI, in 1945, and she graduated from Wausau High School in 1959. Nancy went on to earn her RN from Madison General School of Nursing and a BSN from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During her nursing career, Nancy worked for Madison General Hospital, Sacred Heart Hospital, and Mayo Clinic in Eau Claire.

Nancy loved to share that she fell in love with her husband Don when they were just kids. As the story goes, when Don drove by Nancy at her family cottage on Bass Lake in his old wooden boat and handsome orange life preserver, she knew it was love. They married on September 14, 1963. Shortly after, Don and Nancy moved to Des Moines, IA, before settling in Madison, where they spent fourteen years. They eventually moved to Eau Claire in 1979 with their three daughters. From 1997 to 2022, Don and Nancy spent their summers on Bass Lake and winters in Gulf Shores, AL. Nancy was well-traveled, having visited many US states, including Alaska on a memorable cruise, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Austria, the Soviet Union, and Norway.

Nancy was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the Wolf River Basketry Guild. She was an avid crafter, weaving hundreds of beautiful baskets, cross-stitching, and knitting throughout her life. She loved following the Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers, attending many games with Don at Lambeau Field as season ticket holders. Nancy also had a strong love for lake life, enjoying water skiing, kayaking, boating, loon watching, and lakeside campfires with her family.

Nancy is survived by her husband Donald; daughters: Betsy Lawson of Coon Rapids, MN, Amy (Jeffrey) Bernhardt of Eau Claire, WI, and Sara (Skip) Bilz of Eau Claire, WI; sisters: Elaine Winter and Susan (Thomas) Conrad; sister-in-law: Norma Winter; grandchildren: Riley Lawson, Cameron Lawson, Paige Bernhardt, and Zachary Bernhardt; great-grandchildren: Callen and Bennett Lawson; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and their children.

She was preceded in death by her parents: Howard and Vivian Stauffer; brothers-in-law: Richard (Dick) Winter and John (Jack) Winter; and son-in-law: Tad Lawson.

A memorial service celebrating Nancy’s life will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, and burial will take place at Summit Lake Lakeside Cemetery. Details will be provided at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in Nancy’s name may be made to:

1. Raptor Education Group

raptoreducationgroup.org or Raptor Education Group, Inc

PO Box 481

Antigo, WI 54409

2. Elcho Historical Society

elchohistoricalsocietyinc.org or Elcho Historical Society, Inc

PO Box 412

Elcho, WI 54428

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the Cambridge Senior Living staff and the Mayo Clinic Hospice team for the compassionate care they provided to Nancy.