SPIRIT LAKE — Charlie Winegardner, 89, of Spirit Lake, formerly of Sioux City, died October 29, 2026, at home surrounded by family. A former barber and longtime railroad conductor, Charlie enjoyed conversations that turned strangers into friends and time watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren experience lake life at Okoboji.
A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, November 4, at Grace Lutheran Church, 801 Hill Ave., in Spirit Lake, with visitation beginning at 9 a.m. The service will be available to view on the Grace Lutheran Church of Spirit Lake, Iowa, Facebook page.
Interment is scheduled for 3 p.m. that day at Rose Hill Cemetery, 301 W. Sixth St., in Emerson, Nebraska. The obituary also lists a visitation from 3 to 5 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 103 Third St., in Emerson, describing it as following the burial. Memorials may be directed to Grace Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Emerson.
Charlie was born April 29, 1937, in Emerson to Jacob and Margaret (Harmer) Winegardner. He graduated from high school in 1954 and completed barber school in 1958.
That same year, he began operating Charlie’s Barber Shop at 2108 Court St. in Sioux City. He owned and ran the business until 1972, bringing an easy conversational manner to a job built around daily encounters with people.
Charlie also built a career on the railroad, working as a train service conductor for the Chicago and North Western Railway and later Union Pacific. He retired in 1999 after 32 years of service.
An accomplished high school athlete, Charlie continued playing community sports as a young man. His enthusiasm for competition carried into his conversations, especially when the subjects were New York Yankees baseball or Nebraska Cornhuskers football.
Trains, railroads, International Harvester tractors and the latest crop conditions could keep him talking, too. As his family shared in his obituary through Turner Jenness Funeral Home, Charlie made friends readily and enjoyed visiting relatives and friends during his travels.
He liked working outdoors on building projects and lending a hand to neighbors. At Okoboji, he took particular pleasure in seeing his granddaughters and great-grandchildren enjoy the lake.
Charlie’s commitments extended to his church, union and neighborhood. He belonged to Grace Lutheran Church and Triangle Masonic Lodge No. 463, served as local chairman of United Transportation Union Local 393, and co-founded and served as president of the Kelly’s Beach, Twin Hills, Moore Lake Homeowners Association.
Charlie married Connie Bottger on November 2, 1958, in Emerson. She survives him, along with their daughters, Kim (Phil) Oakes and Kelli Winegardner.
He also leaves granddaughters Dana (Jordan) Nelson and Kelsey (Brady) Mathis; great-grandchildren Mara and Mack Nelson, and Taylor and Jack Mathis; extended family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Bernard, Ernie and Jake; sisters Alice, Kay, Joann and Margaret; in-laws Effie, Harold, Joann, John, Nadine, Louise, Willard and Vernon; and nephews Russ and Doug.
Charlie’s family expressed gratitude to Lakes Regional Healthcare for its hospice care and to his niece, Cindy Lewin, for her care and assistance.
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