Winifred Webster

Winifred “Winnie” W. Webster was born July 3, 1940, the only child of Earl Russell Whipple and Alice May Loop Whipple in Auburn, NY. Her father was a Presbyterian minister and her mother was the director of religious education in the Groton Baptist Parish in New York.

Shortly after Winnie was born, her family moved between Arizona and New Mexico to serve as missionaries on the Navajo and Sioux reservations. It was there she developed a deep love for Native American culture. Her parents raised Winnie from a young age to believe strongly that all people were equal and they had no room in their hearts for prejudice. By the time she was 19, her father had studied and accepted the Baha’i Faith. Her mother studied for an additional year before declaring. Then in 1965, Winnie and her husband embraced the Faith. She strove to be of service in children/youth classes, as well as in the community at large. She served on the Local Spiritual Assemblies of Warrensville Hts. and then on the Shaker Hts. LSA for a total of more than 40 years. By the age of 29, she was raising three children by herself while working fulltime at the Cleveland Clinic. She remained there for 32 years as a secretary in various capacities, retiring in 2003.

She is survived by three children and their spouses; Bill Sliker (Lisa), Beth Kamerer (Mike), and Tahirih Gutelius (Warren); six grandchildren Lauren Williams (Joel), Michelle Kamerer (Dylan), Jeanette Sliker (Terry), Elizabeth Tietsort (Alex), Jessica Sliker (Doug), Joshua Sliker; six great grandchildren Cali Harter, Adin Sliker-Harter, Gemma Sliker-Harter, Zephania Sliker-Harter, Aurora Williams, and Eloise Williams; and is preceded in death by 5 great grandchildren.

Private services were held for the family. Burial followed at Northwood Cemetery, Cambridge. Black-Epperson Funeral Home, Byesville, assisted with the arrangements.

Personal condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.black-eppersonfuneralhomes.com