Winifred “Winnie” Balkenol

Winifred “Winnie” B. Balkenol, age 95 of Redwood Falls formerly of Lismore, passed away Thursday, June 23, 2022 at River Valley Nursing Home in Redwood Falls.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Redwood Falls with a livestream on St. Catherine’s Catholic Church YouTube page.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at church on Wednesday.  Interment will be in the St. Catherine’s Catholic Cemetery.  

Winifred “Winnie” B. Balkenol was born December 6, 1926 to John and Margaret (Voss) Hebig in Wilmont Township, Nobles County, Minnesota.  She was baptized at St. Kilian Catholic Church and confirmed at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Lismore.  Winnie attended and graduated from St. Anthony Catholic School.  One month after graduating, she began working at the State Bank of Lismore, where she remained for ten years.  On September 1, 1949, she married the love of her life Wilfred “Mugs” Balkenol at St. Anthony Catholic Church.  In 1956, she moved to Redwood Falls and started working at Citizens State Bank.  She later began working at Northwest National Bank, then Minnesota Valley Bank, which is now known as Minnwest Bank and retired 40 years later.  She held many offices but worked her way up to Assistant Vice President of Operations in a business that was primarily men.  Winnie was involved with the Senior Citizen Center as treasurer for over 20 years.  She was a very active member of her church along with her Veritas Study club for over 50 years.  Winnie enjoyed playing bridge with friends, quilting and flower gardening, especially orchids.  She loved traveling to numerous places such as New Zealand, Australia, China and most recently Rome Italy at 91 years old.  If you ask her friends she was quite a character and had a great sense of humor.

Winnie is survived by her godson Thomas (Gale) Morley of Redwood Falls and 18 nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister Darlene Pryor, brothers: Rodney, Orville and Milton, and one niece.