Alan Winkeljohn

Alan “Wink” Winkeljohn, 86, was called home to be with the Lord on Wednesday November 15th .   Born in Celina, Ohio in 1937, Al spent his early years helping his father in the general store and raising rabbits.  He attended Chaminade High School run by the Sisters of Mary in Dayton Ohio, and later attended the University of Dayton.  Al married the former Mary Anne Schaaf, also of Dayton in September of 1959; and shortly after they moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.  

    Al worked for Sandia National Laboratories as an Electronics Technician for much of the 1960s, supporting weapons testing and space reactor research.   Following some years in electronics sales with Barnhill & Associates of Albuquerque, Al found his career calling in New Mexico real estate – as an agent, an owner (Key Realty, Inc.) and a well-respected instructor and author of topics ranging from business calculators to real estate law.   He served as a member of the New Mexico Board and the Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors.

    Al is survived by his four sons and their wives; Jeff and Loriof Virginia, Mike and Heather of Albuquerque, Tim and Sevie of Denver, and Andrew and Ronit of Denver, as well as by his grandchildren and their spouses, Stephanie and David Black, Michelle and Jason Randall, Trevor, Autumn, Teagan, Alex and Sabrina, Elijah, Rebecca and Nathan; and by his three great-grandchildren Charlie and Sam Black and Viola Randall.  He is also survived by his sister, Lois Scherzinger of Florida, her husband Mark and their four children, Donna, Linda, Bob and Bill; as well as his best friend Jim Fisher, now in living in Texas.   He is predeceased by his mother and father, Mary and Alfred Winkeljohn in Albuquerque and his grandson Eric in Virginia.     

    Al loved New Mexico and its residents – everyone was a friend.  He was a member of the New Mexico Tombstone Transcription Project (https://nmttp.com/new-mexico-tombstone-transcription-project), exploring NM dirt roads and lost towns to create a database of burial locations connectingfamilies with their ancestors. He was an avid fan of the Lobo basketball team, of the Santa Fe Railroad, and of Mixed Martial Arts and the “Adaptive MMA” program run by Mike and Heather. 

    Al’s sons wish to thank the doctors and nurses at UNM Hospital and Advantage Assisted Living who cared for dad in his last year.  In lieu of flowers, we ask that you consider a donation to St Vincent DePaul at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, 505-256-9818. 

    A memorial service to celebrate our father’s life will be held at Trujillo Funeral Home, 110 Alvarado Drive SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108, on Friday, December 15th at 3:00pm.   His ashes will be interred near his mother and father at Gate of Heaven Cemetery on Saturday, December 16th.