Shevie Winitz passed away peacefully at home on Feb. 24.
Shevie was born in 1936 to Abe and Florence Schuman in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from Southwest High School in 1954. She attended the University of Colorado for two years before transferring to the University of Kansas, majoring in physical education and receiving her B.S. in education.
While a student at K.U., she was set up on a date with K.U. professor Harris Winitz and on Feb. 26, 1961, they married. They enjoyed 64 years of marriage before Harris Winitz’s death nine months ago. Prior to starting their family, Shevie taught P.E. at Augustine High School in Kansas City, Kansas, and later was a substitute teacher in the Shawnee Mission School District. She was a lifelong athlete.
She was president of the Congregation Beth Shalom P.T.O. and was on the board of directors of Beth Shalom. She received the Order of the Green Angel award by the Mid-Continent Girl Scout Council in 1977. She was active in B’nai Brith Women, becoming president of the Star of David Chapter in 1975, president of the BBW Council of Greater KC in 1980, and member of the Gateway Regional Board from 1980-1982. She is a life member of JWI and Hadassah.
She was the vice president of International Linguistics Corp., the family business that started in her basement but soon moved to an office in South Kansas City, overseeing all of the day-to-day operations of the company with absolutely no background in business. International Linguistics is now nearly 50 years old.
She enjoyed spending time with her lifelong friends from high school, who later became known as the “Top of the Hill Gang.”
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Harris Winitz; and her sister, Linda Mottaz. She is survived by her three children, Flora, Sim and Jennifer (Timmy Grensback); grandchildren, Adam, Dylan and Autumn Shemitz; niece, Sara Mottaz (Brett); and great niece and many, many cousins.
Online condolences for the family may be left at louismemorialchapel.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Congregation Beth Shalom, Jewish Women International or Hadassah.