OGDENSBURG – Funeral services for Gretchen L. Van Winkle, 68, of Lakeside Beikirch Care Center in Brockport, and long time resident of Carolyn Street in Ogdensburg, will be held privately with her family. Her place of rest is at Foxwood Memorial Park.

Ms. Van Winkle passed away on Tuesday (Sept. 28, 2010) at the Brockport Care Center.

Surviving is her brother Dixon & his wife Janet Van Winkle of Kendall, N.Y.; two nieces Gretchen & Dr. Kevin Curtis of Orford, N.H., Mieke & Walter Lozano of N.Y.C.; two step-nieces Robin & Alan Cole of Carbondale, Colo., Katrina & Tom Elliott of Naches, Wash.; along with her dog, Oscar.

Gretchen was born on March 4, 1942 in Ogdensburg, a daughter of the late Kenneth & Kathryn (Smith) Van Winkle. She graduated from Ogdensburg Free Academy in 1960, and obtained a bachelors degree in education from SUNY Brockport in 1964, and then completed her post-graduate studies at Potsdam State.

In 1965 she began working as a teacher at Morristown Central where she was an elementary reading teacher until her retirement.

Gretchen lived in Ogdensburg most of her life until 2006 when she relocated to Kendall, N.Y., to be near her brother and sister-in-law.

In 2008 she then moved to the Lakeside Beikirch Care Center in Brockport, where she lived until she passed.

She enjoyed her pets, playing mahjongg board game with her friends and gardening.

Memorial contributions have been requested to the SPCA.