Don Winterton passed away on Thursday, Jan. 4. A native of New Jersey, Don played basketball for the University of Tampa (UT) where his 1967-1968 team was inducted into the UT Athletic Hall of Fame. He received his Bachelor of Science from UT and Master of Science from the University of South Florida. Don was an avid and loyal University of South Alabama Basketball fan.
From teaching at Nature's Classroom in Tampa until his retirement, he was devoted to education and the environment. As a cherished teacher, principal and role model, he taught thousands of students in Florida at Pinetta Junior High and Madison County High School, where he was selected three times as Teacher of the Year. Winterton was also selected Florida Teacher of the Year.
Well-known for his knowledge and collection of reptiles and amphibians, including the filming of TV episodes on turtles, he taught respect for animals of all kinds to multiple generations of young people and adults. It was not uncommon for Winterton to be called upon across Madison County to rescue and relocate turtles and snakes and other creatures.
Don built his home on a hill with his bare hands and raised three children who looked up to his six-foot, eleven-inch stature, literally and figuratively. He took his family on long camping trips, often covering 10,000 miles to see the country and appreciate the wilderness frequently; collecting rocks, fossils and scouring deserts and forests at night in search of interesting creatures. Don developed a keen interest in space, often hosting community members to his farm for meteor showers, comet sightings, and learning more about space. He was also accepted to the Teacher in Space Program. Winterton gave space lectures at the Gulf Coast Exploreum.
Always devoted to his wife, Lynne Winterton, they spent time together gardening, doing puzzles and practicing their true love to one another.
Winterton was preceded in death by his father, William Gladstone Winterton and mother, Frieda Sanik Winterton.
He is survived by his treasured wife of 30 years Lynne (Busta) Winterton; son, Donald C. (Oksana) Winterton; daughter, Jamie (Winterton) McGee; son-in-law, Paul McGee; daughter, Kaci (Byrd) Cheeseman; son-in-law, Joseph (Bobby) Cheeseman; and six grandchildren: Tyler Winterton, Faith Winterton, Ayden Winterton, Bryce Winterton, Anastasia Winterton and Meghan McGee.
A Celebration of life will be held in the garden of their home for friends and family on Friday, Feb. 2, at 2 p.m. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, gifts are to be made to Don’s favorite charity KIVA, at www.kiva.org., to help fund investments to change lives and make the world a better place. Arrangements were made by Ascension Funerals & Cremations, located at 1016 Hillcrest Road, in Mobile, Al.