NORTHBOROUGH

John C. Winkler, 65, passed away without warning on Saturday, September 5, 2026, in York, Maine, after experiencing a sudden medical episode.

John was born and raised in Floral Park, New York, a son to Gerard Winkler and Caryll Batterman. He attended Floral Park Memorial High School- Class of 1978. John then continued his studies at Alfred University - Class of 1983, where he met his wife of 40 years Robin and became a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity where he made many lifelong friends. He earned his undergraduate degree in Ceramic Engineering and, subsequently, his M.B.A in Operations Management from American InterContinental University.

John led a very successful career, contributing to the growth of multiple different organizations and touching the lives of so many along the way. He first started with Phillips Lighting Co. in Kentucky, where his first two sons Justin and Nick were born. After that they moved to Rhode Island where their third son Jake was born. Next the family moved to upstate New York around Corning, where he and Robin began raising their three boys. John eventually got transferred to a different Phillips location down south. Despite its distance from the more familiar northeastern United States, Danville, Kentucky became a cornerstone of his life and his family’s. John and his family moved to Kentucky in 2001 and spent many years there while working with Phillips and watching his boys grow into men. Eventually John moved on from Phillips and set down roots once more in the north, landing in Northborough, Massachusetts with Saint-Gobain late in 2011 where he spent 11 years. John finished his career living in Northborough, having joined Washington Mills in 2023, spending nearly 4 years there as the Vice President of Operations before his tragic passing. Throughout the many different transitions in his career, he and his family made so many deep and meaningful connections and relationships with so many amazing people.

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The following paragraphs are words of love and gratitude written by John’s son, Jake.

If one word had to be chosen to sum up the life of John Winkler, we’d be in trouble. Thankfully that’s not a restriction here. John was loving, creative, and brilliant. He was inspiring, hardworking, and goofy. He was dependable, fun, and a steadying presence for so many. So steadying, in fact, that I don’t think he would always let me see him show some of life’s rawer emotions. The same emotions that we’re all experiencing now, in the wake of grief that’s followed since his passing. But we’re all feeling it now, alongside him, with the spirit of John that persists in all of us. And despite how sad this is, it’s a gift to love John so much and feel these things. If you knew John Winkler, you’d have some idea about his sports obsessed nature, and by extension my mother’s immense patience. Having grown up in Floral Park, New York he was an avid fan of select New York sports teams- the Jets, the Mets, and the Knicks chiefly. As his boys and other family grew to love the beautiful game, soccer, Liverpool was eventually added alongside this roster. Thank God for Liverpool and the Knicks in recent years… But this love of sports extended well beyond professional sports teams, and it’s my belief that this passion helps weave a pattern of how John lived his life and impacted people that I’m going to do my best to articulate here.

When I think back to my earliest memories of my Father, a lot of those memories are around his presence with me and my brothers in sports. Whether he was officially our coach or not, he was always there. Pushing us, helping us prepare and train, and actively facilitating our development. He had a real gift for coaching, and in turn mentoring others. When I say he was a steadying presence, I think this ties in really nicely. There was a mystical combination of active intervention – maybe a bit annoying as a child, but something you grow to cherish as an adult – and prepared responsiveness when you’re suddenly in need and come seeking. When the going got tough, or was becoming tough, he was there and ready with either sage wisdom or some good ol’ fashion grit and determination. Either way, he projected a level of confidence and direction that you could always count on. What’s more is he could give guidance on both the physical mechanics or mechanisms of whatever it was you needed, and also the “intangibles” backing the topic, aspects that are notoriously difficult to measure and influence in others.

The truth of his wisdom and guidance was readily visible in the way that he himself played. Whether on the golf course, in the backyard throwing cornhole bags, or playing board games he played with his heart on his sleeve. He loved to win and hated to lose. He really hated to lose. Just ask aunt Mary Jo after she beat him in backgammon 5 times in a row, very early on in his and my mom’s relationship. I hear there was a flipped board involved. Thankfully he grew out of that sort of behavior, and it wasn’t something I ever saw. But that story makes me laugh, and it speaks to the fire and passion that drove my dad forward in his everyday life. Whatever he did, he would do it to the fullest. He’d keep detailed spreadsheets of football stats and players to prepare for his fantasy football drafts, again proving my mother’s patience. He even read a book about coaching football recently, I think. I imagine this was to better inform his fantasy football decision making, and to extend his capabilities as the league’s commish. I’m sure there’s some really good nuggets about life in there too. But once again, this passion goes beyond sports, and we got to see this same level of expression through him as a husband, and as a father.

I didn’t get to experience my dad playing in many team sports, but he was always there teaching us the right way to be, as my brothers and I played alongside others. He taught us to be humble, unselfish, and always appreciative of the guys around us that we were playing with. He knew how important this was in any high performing team, and made sure this understanding was instilled in us. There was nowhere that these values were exemplified better than how he was with my mother in marriage, and them together with us as parents. Justin, Nick, and I are so privileged to have had their example to follow. We got to watch them support and love one another as they work together as a team to give us everything we could ever want for and more in life. Beyond this, and perhaps more importantly, we were all shown how important family is. Our aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. We’re all a team, and dad never let us forget this. Even in hard times, or times of frustration. On the other side of those times, we always saw the family come together. Whether it was holidays, vacations, or birthdays, the love and support for one another was always emphasized. And I think the importance of these lessons are highlighted at this moment now more than ever. Hug your loved ones and tell them you love them.

And also, laugh, have fun, and be creative. This was one of the most magical things about our dad. He was a complete goofball, always cracking jokes and making sure that above all we were always having fun. Among all of the things dad taught me about sports and life, having fun was the most important. And he was the best example of this. He was the best husband, father, coach, uncle, brother, brother in law, boss, you name it. And I think it’s because he made sure that he had fun and made fun for others in everything that he did.

John Winkler is one of the most incredible humans to have ever graced this earth, and it’s an absolute tragedy that he had to be taken away this soon. But there’s been so much love that has poured in from all over these past few days in response to his passing, and that’s a really unique and immensely special gift that our family will treasure now and for the rest of our days. It’s so comforting to know that he left such a positive impression on so many people. He was such an amazing man, and we’re all going to miss him so much.

Among those surviving John is his devoted wife, Robin Winkler; their three sons, Justin Winkler; Nicholas Winkler and his wife McKayla, Jacob Winkler and his wife Emily Olson; his mother, Caryll Batterman; his six siblings, Deborah Winkler, David Winkler and his wife Lisa Winkler, Stephen Winkler, Susan Leys and her husband Andrew Leys, Mark Winkler and his wife Trisha Winkler, and Matthew Winkler and Shanda; numerous nephews and nieces; the dogs and cats;

Visitation hours will be held at Hays Funeral Home, 56 Main Street, Northborough, MA, on Sunday, September 13, from 12 Noon – 3 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, September 14, at 11 a.m., at Saint Rose of Lima Parish, 244 W. Main Street, Northborough. John will then be laid to rest in Howard Street Cemetery, Northborough.

The Winkler family respectfully request memorial donations in John’s name be directed to The American Heart Association or First Tee Massachusetts.

To leave an online condolence, please visit www.HaysFuneralHome.com