Cynthia Holmgren Winstead

I married Jim Winstead in 1968. He went to Northeast and played football there. I met him through my second fiancé. We all worked at Linda Hall Library.

He was stationed at Fort Bragg where we were married. We traveled in the service to Bad Kisegan, Germany. Later we returned to KC, Mo. I finished college and began teaching in 1970 until 2013 when I retired. During my career I received a Masters in Special Education from KU and a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Psychology from Loyola. I taught many different types of students during my career in public education. I taught regular education, gifted education, and special education. I was also an assistant principal as well as a science trainer for the district.

In addition, I taught at Harper College and Judson University in Chicago for over 20 years. I worked with under grads and master level students.

In 1985, my husbands job caused us to relocate in the Chicago area. We have lived here ever since. My daughter met her husband at college and he is from Bogota, Columbia. They have 1 son and live in Florida. My son married three years ago and has one son. He lives in the Chicago area. My husband passed away from a heart attack in 2006. He is missed by all of us very much.

Since I retired, I have enjoyed doing volunteer work. I am a CASA for Kane County Court for an abused child. I work at the Food Pantry and tutor a young man in English through the program, Project Literacy. I usher at a rep theater, am in a book club, tap dance, do greeting card making, and watch my grandson once a week. I also like to travel. I have been to 48 of the 50 states. Only New Jersey and Alaska remain. I hope to travel to these soon. I also garden as much as possible, and walk my dogs daily.

I loved the teachers and students that I met at Southwest. It was a happy time in my life. There was so much drama going on everyday at school, that I tried never to be absent. It was like a soap opera at times and too good to miss. I still keep in touch with a few of my good friends and think fondly back to the days I spent with them in high school.