Cleland Winter, 71, of Scales Mound, IL, passed away at 12:35 P/M, Tuesday, October 23, 2012, at Midwest Medical Center, Galena, IL, following a sudden illness.

Funeral Services will be at 10:30 A/M, Saturday, October 27, 2012, at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Schapville, IL, with Pastor Barb Rapp and Fr. Max Lasrado officiating. Burial will be in the Scales Mound Township Cemetery, where a flag presentation will be conducted by members of V.F.W. Post #2665.

Friends may call from 2 P/M to 8 P/M, Friday, October 26, 2012, at the Miller & Steinke Funeral Home, Scales Mound, and after 9:30 A/M, Saturday at the church.

Cleland was born on January 20, 1941, in Scales Mound, the son of Fredrick and Eleanor (Hesselbacher) Winter. He graduated from Scales Mound High School in 1959. He served in the U. S. Army Reserves from November, 1963 - October, 1969. He was a life long farmer, many of those years as an award winning diaryman.

Cleland married Judy Korte at St. Mary's Church, Galena, IL, on September 11, 1965.

Cleland was a member of the Scales Mound and Apple River Lions Clubs, Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau and its Board of Directors, and the Jo Daviess Service Company and its Board of Directors. He was a founding member of the Scales Mound Recreation Association and served as a Board Member for many years. Cleland helped organize the Scales Mound Booster Club. He was an inductee into the Northwest Illinois Sports Hall of Fame as well as a member of the current nominating committee. He was also a member of the Dairy Herd Improvement Association Board of Directors. Cleland was an avid Scales Mound Hornet fan.

Surviving are his wife, Judy; two sons, Steve (Angie) and their daughters, Lauren and Erin, Scales Mound, IL, Doug (Susan) and their son, Bradley, Forreston, IL; his sisters, Karla Leerhoff, Oregon, IL, Diane (Chuck) Marcure, Stockton, IL, and Jackie Fracaro, Joliet, IL; four brothers-in-law; nine sisters-in-law; nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Cleland was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Cletus Winter; mother and father-in-law, Oscar and Viola Korte; his grandparents; and several brothers-in-law.

Cleland's family would like to thank the Scales Mound Fire Department First Responders, Galena Area Ambulance Service, Elizabeth Paramedic Dan Schleicher, and the staff at the Midwest Medical Center for all of their help and compassion.