Ella May Winger, 94, of East Moline, beloved mother, Nana and aunt, passed away May 23, 2022 at her daughter's home surrounded by family.

Funeral services will be 10 am Thursday at Christ the King Catholic Church, Moline, IL. Burial will be in Rock Island National Cemetery. Visitation will be 4-7 Wednesday at the Van Hoe Funeral Home Ltd., East Moline, where a rosary will be recited at 3 pm.

Ella May was born July 22, 1927, in Cordova, Illinois, the daughter of Peter and Ann (O'Neil) Pisman. She married Albert DeLaere in 1945, they had four children together: Richard, Alan, Dawn, and Dinah. In 1975 she married Donald Winger.

Ella May graduated from Moline High School in 1945. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, East Moline and Christ the King Catholic Church. Ella May worked as a bookkeeper for many years and then at Deere Harvester Works where she retired.

Although her door was always open you would rarely find her at home because Ella May passionately believed in and lived for grass roots activism and volunteering. Some of the many organizations she was involved in were: East Moline AMVETS Post 145 Auxiliary, East Moline Post 227 American Legion Auxiliary, Rock Island County Democratic Women's Club (founding member), UAW Local 865 Retirees, UAW Area Women's Council, East End Bolder's Club, East Moline Volunteer Core, Illinois Democratic Women, AMVET's Fourth of July Parade, and East Moline Firecracker Run.

She worked tirelessly for the Democratic Party locally, statewide, and on 15 presidential campaigns.

She received many awards for her services but her most memorable ones were: Illinois Democratic Women's Eleanor Roosevelt Service Award, UAW Women in Excellence Award, The Rock Island Democratic Party Life Long Labor Leader Award, AFL- CIO Hall of Fame Award, Western Illinois Gallery of Ageless Achievers Award, and The Denny Jacobs Public Service Award.

Those left to cherish her memory are daughters, Dawn Daugherty and Dinah (David) Leibovitz; daughter-in-law, Lynn DeLaere; grandchildren, Kristin (Sean) O'Reilly, Sara (Leslie), Craig (Ellie), Eric and Marc DeLaere, Jarrett (Savannah) Daugherty, Alison Daugherty (Rich Ouart), Shayla (Tim) Ramos, Trisha Leibovitz; 19 great grandchildren; and sister, Barbara Fay.

Ella May was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Don; sons, Richard and Alan DeLaere; son-in-law, Jerry Daugherty; daughter-in-law, Debbie DeLaere; and siblings, Rosemary, Marian, and John.

The family would like to thank her care givers: Barb, Mary, Jo, niece Kim, and Genesis Hospice who helped us care for our mother so she could remain at home.

In lieu of Flowers and gifts, memorials may be made to the family.

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