Paul Claus
Registered User
Chitina River Alaska
If you would have asked me a week ago if I were going to be in the lower 48 during the middle of the Alaska summer, I would have told you no way! But the older I get, the more real the statement "God is in control we are not!" becomes and today my wife and I find ourselves in Joseph Oregon with Bill and Dianna Duncan, to share with them, Wupp, the boys and the large extended family, the great loss of Nicole last Thursday.
The family has asked me to start a post, to let all the Bushwheel community know that there will be a celebration of life for Nicole on the 2nd of August here in Joseph, there will be a shuttle available for anyone who would like to fly into the Joseph Airport, Also I have included Nicole's obituary, in it explains the when and where, (less than a mile walk from the airport) The family would love to see as many of their friends there as can make it!!
Nicole Renee Winn: Hiyum Hieweksha, was born on August 19, 1976 in Bedford, Indiana, the beloved daughter and only child of William D. and Dianna S. Duncan. They left Indiana when she was four looking for “someplace with one road in and one road out” and ended up in Joseph. She learned her love of horses alongside her parents as they cowboyed through out the county, particularly the 3V Ranch and Dug Bar Ranch in Snake River Canyon. She attended Judy Kinsley kindergarten, Joseph Elementary and Joseph High School, graduating in 1994 all the while honing her horse handling skills. She saved her babysitting money and bought her own horse “Wes” in 1992. Wes went to college with her and worked the Sale Barn in Hermiston as a job.
She met her devoted husband “Wup” Winn at the Pendleton Roundup in 1995. After she graduated from Blue Mountain College with a degree in Business AG they married in 1998 and lived in Pendleton where Wup worked for the Dodge Dealership and Less Schwab while Nicole worked for the Casino and Community Bank. In 2000 they moved to Joseph where they worked for Alaskan Bush Wheels until 2013, raising their two sons Kyler (14) and Gaven (12) and about 40 puppies in the office. Nicole sold her beautiful mini Australians to families all over the United States who have wonderful pets from her exceptional dogs.
Nicole and her husband Wup, shared their love of flying, both being accomplished pilots. They are known throughout the world of aviation for their knowledge of all things “bush flying” due to their work with Alaskan Bushwheels for so many years. She was a master of the maze of the FAA regulation, a real claim to fame.
Nicole went on to earn her Real Estate license working with Timberline Realty under the tutelage of Claresse O’Connor, where she was building up a clientele and succeeding so well in her new endeavor. Wup and Nicole recently purchased the Video Buffs business in Enterprise, OR with the expectation of making it thrive as a family run operation, a great learning experience for Kyler and Gaven.
Her family in Pendleton taught her their traditions over the years and included her in their hearts. She loved the traditional ways and chose to walk with them. She received her Indian name Hiyum Hiewcksha, meaning “Bear Dreamer” that she treasured in her heart and soul.
Her sister Janine said of Nicole, “From the beginning, she was totally part of us. She jumped right in and fully embraced our tradition and never hesitated. It was important to her that her boys know their ancestors’ ways.”
Nicole was an accomplished seamstress and bead worker coming to the family with questions, always wanting what she made to be right. She gave willingly from her heart and many were gifted with her skilled creations.
As a traditional woman, she put life into what she created.
She left this life on July 16, 2015 while doing what she loved to do best, riding one of her family horses at her home in Joseph..
She is survived by her husband Wup, their two sons Kyler and Gaven, her parents Bill and Dianna Duncan and Beverly Winn, and Wup’s family that she claimed as hers. Sisters Janine, Lynsie and Jen. Brothers Lance, Jeff, Tannon and Brother John, her nieces and nephews whom she claimed as her “children from another mother” Ashley, Isaac, Rebecca Nicole, and Gracin. Numerous other nieces, nephews, aunties and uncles and so many more in the Pendleton Region.
She was given the honor of their traditional burial and was laid to rest near her brother Steve Winn in Pendleton on Monday, July 20.
Nicole loved her husband and sons immensely and was so proud of them, keeping them as the center of her universe. Her family and many friends whom she touched world wide, will miss her desperately.
A celebration of life will be held August 2, 2015 in the Thunder Room on the Chief Joseph Rodeo Grounds in Joseph, OR at 1:00 pm.
In honor of our traditions we will have a memorial service in one year, which will free us to once again speak her precious name.
In lieu of flowers the family would like donations made in her name to the Rusty Spurs 4H club in care of Vixen Wecks or the Burnt Thumb 4H club in care of Eva Harold.
County Extension Services
City Government Office
668 NW 1st St, Enterprise, OR 97828
The family has asked me to start a post, to let all the Bushwheel community know that there will be a celebration of life for Nicole on the 2nd of August here in Joseph, there will be a shuttle available for anyone who would like to fly into the Joseph Airport, Also I have included Nicole's obituary, in it explains the when and where, (less than a mile walk from the airport) The family would love to see as many of their friends there as can make it!!
Nicole Renee Winn: Hiyum Hieweksha, was born on August 19, 1976 in Bedford, Indiana, the beloved daughter and only child of William D. and Dianna S. Duncan. They left Indiana when she was four looking for “someplace with one road in and one road out” and ended up in Joseph. She learned her love of horses alongside her parents as they cowboyed through out the county, particularly the 3V Ranch and Dug Bar Ranch in Snake River Canyon. She attended Judy Kinsley kindergarten, Joseph Elementary and Joseph High School, graduating in 1994 all the while honing her horse handling skills. She saved her babysitting money and bought her own horse “Wes” in 1992. Wes went to college with her and worked the Sale Barn in Hermiston as a job.
She met her devoted husband “Wup” Winn at the Pendleton Roundup in 1995. After she graduated from Blue Mountain College with a degree in Business AG they married in 1998 and lived in Pendleton where Wup worked for the Dodge Dealership and Less Schwab while Nicole worked for the Casino and Community Bank. In 2000 they moved to Joseph where they worked for Alaskan Bush Wheels until 2013, raising their two sons Kyler (14) and Gaven (12) and about 40 puppies in the office. Nicole sold her beautiful mini Australians to families all over the United States who have wonderful pets from her exceptional dogs.
Nicole and her husband Wup, shared their love of flying, both being accomplished pilots. They are known throughout the world of aviation for their knowledge of all things “bush flying” due to their work with Alaskan Bushwheels for so many years. She was a master of the maze of the FAA regulation, a real claim to fame.
Nicole went on to earn her Real Estate license working with Timberline Realty under the tutelage of Claresse O’Connor, where she was building up a clientele and succeeding so well in her new endeavor. Wup and Nicole recently purchased the Video Buffs business in Enterprise, OR with the expectation of making it thrive as a family run operation, a great learning experience for Kyler and Gaven.
Her family in Pendleton taught her their traditions over the years and included her in their hearts. She loved the traditional ways and chose to walk with them. She received her Indian name Hiyum Hiewcksha, meaning “Bear Dreamer” that she treasured in her heart and soul.
Her sister Janine said of Nicole, “From the beginning, she was totally part of us. She jumped right in and fully embraced our tradition and never hesitated. It was important to her that her boys know their ancestors’ ways.”
Nicole was an accomplished seamstress and bead worker coming to the family with questions, always wanting what she made to be right. She gave willingly from her heart and many were gifted with her skilled creations.
As a traditional woman, she put life into what she created.
She left this life on July 16, 2015 while doing what she loved to do best, riding one of her family horses at her home in Joseph..
She is survived by her husband Wup, their two sons Kyler and Gaven, her parents Bill and Dianna Duncan and Beverly Winn, and Wup’s family that she claimed as hers. Sisters Janine, Lynsie and Jen. Brothers Lance, Jeff, Tannon and Brother John, her nieces and nephews whom she claimed as her “children from another mother” Ashley, Isaac, Rebecca Nicole, and Gracin. Numerous other nieces, nephews, aunties and uncles and so many more in the Pendleton Region.
She was given the honor of their traditional burial and was laid to rest near her brother Steve Winn in Pendleton on Monday, July 20.
Nicole loved her husband and sons immensely and was so proud of them, keeping them as the center of her universe. Her family and many friends whom she touched world wide, will miss her desperately.
A celebration of life will be held August 2, 2015 in the Thunder Room on the Chief Joseph Rodeo Grounds in Joseph, OR at 1:00 pm.
In honor of our traditions we will have a memorial service in one year, which will free us to once again speak her precious name.
In lieu of flowers the family would like donations made in her name to the Rusty Spurs 4H club in care of Vixen Wecks or the Burnt Thumb 4H club in care of Eva Harold.
County Extension Services
City Government Office
668 NW 1st St, Enterprise, OR 97828
