Bryan Lee Winkler

Bryan Lee Winkler passed away at his home in Boise, Idaho on May 19, 2025.

Bryan was born on May 21, 1962 at St. Luke’s hospital in Boise, Idaho to Arthur “Dean” Winkler and Marilyn “Norita” Winkler, second to last of his siblings. Growing up, he attended Garfield Elementary and East Jr. High. He attended Boise high school as the class of 1980. His childhood friends whom he hung with since he was 3 years old, because their moms bowled together, called their group the “Horton’s”

During his childhood, Bryan’s first job was a paperboy, delivering papers for the Idaho Statesman. His first job as a teenager was at the Arctic Circle on Broadway. This was followed by other restaurants such as the Ramada Inn, Grants truck stop, and the Chart House.

In 1980-1981 Bryan was working in the rendering dept at the Iowa beef plant. It was during this time on April 7th, 1981 that Bryan met the love of his life, Gay Ann Grout, at a Denny’s restaurant in Boise. The story goes that he had asked Gay for the time, and she said, “Sorry, my brother took my watch and sold it!”

In the 1980s, Bryan worked for Grasmick Produce, followed by Clark’s catering, before returning to Gasmask’s in 1986.Bryan and Gay shared many of the same interests, including camping, fishing, and hiking, and enjoying the beautiful outdoor scenery Idaho offers. Many of these memorable trips were combined with the Horton’s.

After living with Gay for 5 years, Bryan decided to pop the question to her, and they were married on April 5th, 1986. Within the year after their marriage, Bryan had decided to enter the construction workforce. He was a drywall installer for Sleton Construction; starting ground up construction of the Boise Towne Square Mall, the Boise Olive Garden, and other construction projects.

Bryan and Gay’s first daughter Amanda was born in June of 1991. She was born three months premature, and weighed just 1.5 lbs! She had to stay in the NICU for three months, where Bryan as well as Gay visited her every day. Before she was discharged from the hospital, Bryan earned the nickname “Car Seat Daddy”, due to his eagerness of just wanting to bring his first child home from the hospital after three months. The hospital had to make sure he wasn’t trying to take her home before everything was ready! 14 months later, in August of 1992, their second daughter Ashley was born. She was a full term birth, and was the “apple of his eye.” Both of his daughters became his pride and joy.

Bryan worked in sales for Boise Great West and Frontier Beef, Chicken, and Seafood. Bryan love travel so this gave him the opportunity to work in Alabama, Mississippi, Colorado and Nevada.

While his daughters were growing up, Bryan was a loving and supportive parent, attending school field trips and orchestra concerts, as well as softball games and 4-H meetings, since his girls raised guinea pigs. He also loved taking trips with his family, including numerous summer camping trips that also included his friends and their families, one softball game that took his daughter Ashley’s team to Coeur d’Alene Idaho, multiple Thanksgiving holidays in Renton, WA, where his sister Karen lives, and fishing/camping trips with his father Dean and father in law Loren Grout to Priest Lake, Idaho, Canada and Alaska.

Through the years besides Bryan’s love for travel and outdoor activities included antiques and vintage cars. Bryan for years attended the annual spring Roadster show here in Boise. He was a huge fan of the “Duke” and Elvis; he even had the opportunity to visit Graceland one year. Bryan had a love for football. For years he and Gay hosted Super bowl parties. Being a big Seahawks fan he attended a few NFL games in Seattle with family members. Of course his favorite college team was BSU; he had even flown to Arizona/Fiesta Bowl, Nevada/Maaco Bowl. Reno/Wolf Pack game. In 2019 he and his wife attended BSU vs UNLV game in Las Vegas watching the game with his friend Jim, wife Gay and their friends who live in Vegas, Becky and Joe.

Bryan helped other neighbors. One day mowing the neighbor ladies lawn 5 years ago, she informed him she was putting her house up for sale. With Bryan’s compassion and quick thinking his father-in-law Loren bought the house and moved in next door. He also loved dogs, and his most recent dogs are two Cocker Spaniels, Buddy and Rocky. While the girls were teens and young adults, they enjoyed the family dog, Cocker Spaniel Gemine.

Bryan also enjoyed watching the Summer and Winter Olympics. He himself participated in the “Race to Robbie Creek” and other races fun runs with his wife Gay, friends, and family members. He also played on a co-ed team one year with his wife. Bryan also liked riding motorcycles and dirt biking respectfully in the mountains.

Bryan was a happy go lucky jolly guy and is dearly missed by all the family and friends who knew and loved him. He is survived by his wife Gay Winkler and daughters Amanda Winkler and Ashley Moore. He is preceded in death by his parents, Dean and Norita Winkler, father and mother in law Loren and Jackie Grout, and Uncles Bruce and Kent Jensen. He is also survived by his siblings, Kelly Winkler, twin siblings Kevin and Karen Winkler, LaDeana Perez, as well as in laws Linda Hall (Leon), Lora Grout, Loren Grout, Jr., and Lonny Grout, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces.

Services will be held at the Alden Waggoner Funeral Home in Boise on June 7th at 11 AM with the celebration of life luncheon to follow at his Brother Kelly’s house at 6921 W. Brentwood Drive in Boise, Idaho, 83709.

Gay would like to thank the first responders, Boise PD, and the Ada county coroner. She would also like to thank those who have given her support from Paramount Dental, The “Rocks” Softball team, and the staff at Tomorrow’s Hope.