Lansing Fire Department dedicates flag in honor of former fireman Dennis Winters

by B.J. Tomlinson

Approximately 40 individuals attended a special dedication ceremony held at the Lansing Fire Station Saturday, March 15 to honor the memory of Dennis Winters. Winters served Lansing as a fireman from 1979-1999 before losing his battle with cancer in 2009.
After Winters was diagnosed with cancer, a benefit event was held to help his family with medical expenses. At that benefit, Leon and Regina Manning of Lansing bid on and purchased a United States flag, which they planned to fly over their farm.
But, after they learned that the flag had been flown over the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. the Mannings decided to donate the flag to the Lansing Fire Department in Winters' name. Retired fireman Kenny Becker built a frame for the flag and Elliott Jewelers of Waukon provided an engraved plaque. The flag is now proudly displayed at the Lansing Fire Station in honor of Winters' life and service.
Members of Winters' family attended the March 15 dedication, including his wife, the former Barbara Ryder he married August 3, 1974 at St. Patrick Church in Waukon. Dennis and Barb lived their married life together in Lansing, raising their four children. Those four children include three sons, Jared (Bridget) Winters of Windsor, WI, who have two children, Julia and Alex; Corey (Lynn) Winters of Tipton, who have four children, Alivia, Lily Rose, Aidan and Nathanial; and Heath (Andrea) Winters of Genoa, WI; and one daughter, Krista (Jamie) Rasque of Dodge, WI, who have four children, Brandon, Cade, Ethan and Isaac. Also surviving  Winters are his mother, Marie Winters of Waukon; his siblings, Ron (Kim) Winters, David (Ellen) Winters, Brad (Patricia) Winters, Janet (Arne) Beneke and Becky Huck; and many nieces and nephews.