Paulette Mary Venzke (Winter), age 77, of rural Henning, passed away unexpectedly in her home on August 11, 2026, in the same home where she and her beloved husband, Dale, built their life together for nearly five decades.

A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m., Monday, August 17, 2026, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Parkers Prairie with Rev. Kirk Lee officiating. Music is provided by organist, Maureen Diedrich and soloist, Ken Venzke. Interment will take place at the Parkers Prairie Cemetery.

Visitation is one hour prior to the service.

Paulette was born on July 27, 1949, in Slayton, to Ed and Lucille Winter. She grew up on a farm near Nelson, as one of thirteen children. Her close relationships with her brothers and sisters remained an important part of her life throughout the years, and she cherished the time she spent with them.

In 1967, Paulette met Dale Walter Venzke, the man who would become the love of her life. Dale, known for being a bit of a ladies' man, had to work for her love as she turned him down three times before finally saying yes. That was the beginning of their lifelong love story.

Paulette and Dale were married on January 3, 1969, and shared 47 years together until Dale's passing on August 16, 2016. Together they raised their family on their farm near Henning, where they remained throughout their married life. Their home began as an old granary and was transformed over the course of nearly 50 years into the family home that held generations of memories.

Paulette was a hardworking woman in every sense of the word. She worked at Homecrest Industries in Wadena, for many years. In addition to working full time, Paulette raised four children and maintained the family farm while Dale worked on the road. After retiring from Homecrest, she continued working hard every day on the farm, gardening, caring for the yard, helping Dale with whatever needed to be done, and tending to the many responsibilities of farm life.

She loved the simple pleasures of life: fishing, playing cards, good food, fresh vegetables from the garden, time with her siblings, and the occasional trip to the casino to play penny slots. She was kind and generous, but also fiercely opinionated, feisty, and famously unfiltered. Those who knew her well knew that Paulette was never afraid to tell you exactly what she thought.

Family was at the heart of Paulette's life. She loved her children deeply and treasured every opportunity to spend time with them. Her grandchildren held a particularly special place in her heart. She could never say no, and her generosity knew no limits when it came to them. Her pantry was always stocked with candy, cookies, and other treats for when the grandkids came to visit. She loved giving gifts and had a remarkable way of making the people she loved feel cared for. Paulette also fiercely loved and was devoted to her great-grandchildren. The love she shared with each generation of her family will continue to live on through them.

She will be remembered for her generosity, her hard work, her strong opinions, her humor, her love of family, and the countless ways she cared for the people around her. Most of all, she will be remembered as a woman who gave her whole heart to her family.

She was preceded in death by her husband Dale; parents, Ed and Lucille Winter; siblings, Aggie, Margie and Joe; and granddaughter Ashley.

Paulette is survived by her four children, Ken (Lori) Venzke, Kirk Venzke, Cindy (Daniel) Olson, and Laura (Andrew)Venzke; seven grandchildren, Emily, Jacob, Jaden, Caleb, Wyatt, Amber, and Orion; five great-grandchildren, Teddi, Jeter, Nora, Baker, Sebastian, with another great-grandchild on the way; four sisters and five brothers, Bernice, Betty, Terry, Doug, Rod, Mark, Lynn, Steve and Mike; along with many nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers are her grandchildren. Honorary pallbearers are her great-grandchildren.