DR. MARGARET ESTHER WINTERS

CHAPEL FUNERAL SERVICE: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2024, AT 2 P.M. AT HEBREW MEMORIAL CHAPEL. ***THE CHAPEL SERVICE WILL BE WEBCAST AND AVAILABLE TO VIEW ON THIS WEB PAGE *** Dr. Margaret E. Winters, age 76, of Grosse Pointe a distinguished Professor and Provost at Wayne State University (ret.) died on February 26, 2024. Margaret Esther Winters was born in Brooklyn, NY, April 29, 1947 to Dorothy and Joseph Winters. Eleanor, her only sister, was born 1948. Margaret attended New York City public schools and went to the local Sholem Aleichem Folkshul in Brooklyn, where she learned to read and write Yiddish, a treasure that she cherished all her life. She received her BA in French from Brooklyn College. She married Richard Epro in 1968. They divorced in 1981. She received her MA in French from University of California, Riverside in 1970, and later moved back East to Philadelphia where she was awarded one of the last doctorates in Romance Philology from the University of Pennsylvania. After several years of part-time teaching at various universities, she landed a tenure-track job in 1977 as a Professor of French at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois. In 1980, she met Geoffrey Nathan, and they married in 1984, almost exactly 40 years ago. In the late 1980s, Margaret was asked to be Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, where she served until 1994, when she became Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Shortly thereafter, she was named university Provost. Despite her busy career as an administrator, she continued to work and publish in philology and later in more prototypical linguistics. She become one of the first linguists to apply the emerging theory of Cognitive Grammar (a challenge to Chomskyism) to Historical Linguistics. Her textbook, Introduction to Historical Linguistics,is widely used in colleges and universities worldwide, as is Cognitive Linguistics for Linguists, which she and Geoff co-authored, While at Carbondale, Geoff introduced her to Shotokan Karate. She rapidly advanced to the level of Second Degree Black Belt. During their years in Carbondale, she and Geoff ran an independent Karate school; she also taught classes in women’s self-defense. She continued to train with Geoff until very recently. In 2002, Margaret was asked to become Associate Provost for Academic Affairs at Wayne State University. She and Geoff moved to Detroit, where they built a new life with a wide circle of friends and many new interests. After several years she stepped down as Associate Provost, but was subsequently asked to combine four independent language departments in order to create the Wayne State Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. She served as Chair for several years, and was eventually asked to return to the Associate Provost position, and later served for several years as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs under President Roy Wilson Margaret and Geoff became involved with the Sholem Aleichem Institute in Detroit, eventually becoming Co-Chairs of its Board. In 2023, she and Geoff arranged a merger of the Institute with the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan, where they helped to create the Sholem Aleichem Institute Yiddishkeit Programming Fund. In addition, she and Geoff became strong supporters of the Detroit Opera and the Detroit Symphony, where she served as a Trustee. Especially dear to her heart was the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, where she and Geoff served as Chairs of the Board; Geoff will continue in that capacity. Margaret and Geoff were avid travellers, both by themselves and on cruises. Their most recent cruise from Buenos Aires to Rio in January of this year was a great joy to them both. She is survived by her husband, Geoffrey Nathan, her sister, Eleanor Winters and her brother-in-law, Knights Order of Orange-Nassau, Leendert van der Pool. Following Jewish tradition, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings or the Sholem Aleichem Fund of the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan. INTERMENT: (PRIVATE INTERMENT) Hebrew Memorial Park 33230 Gratiot Ave. Clinton Township, MI 48035 OFFICIATING: Rabbi Joseph Klein SHIVA: The family will observe Shiva following the interment on Thursday between the hours of 6 - 9 P.M., and there will be informal gatherings Friday from 2 - 5 P.M., and Saturday from 6 - 9 P.M. Religious Services will be held on Thursday only at 7 P.M. at the residence of Dr. Geoffrey S. Nathan 862 University Place Grosse Pointe, MI 48230 CONTRIBUTIONS: Detroit Chamber Wings and Strings 24901 Northwestern Hwy Ste. 312 Southfield, MI 48075 https://detroitchamberwinds.org/ Sholem Aleichem Institute Yiddishkeit fund at the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan Instructions: Under the heading: "If you wish to direct your contribution to a particular fund, please choose from the following:" you will find "Sholem Aleichem Institute Yiddishkeit Programming Fund" In the "note to the JHSM office" section the donor can tell us it is in memory of Margaret Winters. https://www.jhsmichigan.org/donate/general-donations.html

DR. MARGARET ESTHER WINTERS

April 29, 1947 - February 26, 2024

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DR. MARGARET ESTHER WINTERS

April 29, 1947 - February 26, 2024

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Grief & Healing

About Us

Obituaries

Plan Ahead

Resources

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