Editor’s Note: For our last client story of the year, we’re blessed to share the beautiful life of Larry Winkleman. Larry and our co-founder Mark Palmer began a lifelong friendship while both were attending Ohio Northern University. Larry met his wife Jan there also; tragically, she died unexpectedly in 2018 of a brain aneurysm. Larry continues to live a life focused on faith and family and we know you’ll find some great encouragement and advice in the comments he shared with Matt Palmer in this interview. Enjoy.
Matt: Larry, thank you for sharing with our readers. Let’s start with your and Jan’s background and then please introduce us to your beautiful family.
Larry: Jan and I met at Ohio Northern University in 1976. I graduated in 1978 with a BS in Civil Engineering and Jan in 1979 with a BA in 
Business. We were married in 1980 and blessed with three children: Ryan, Tyler, and Alison.
Jan’s full-time career was raising our children at home; she later taught preschool for 15 years at Grace Church in Perrysburg. My career was in heavy civil construction (highways, airports, site development) and construction materials (limestone aggregates, asphalt, and ready-mix concrete). We raised our family in Perrysburg, Ohio until 2013 when we moved to Central Kentucky after I was named President and CEO of Hinkle Contracting Company.
Jan died very unexpectedly in March 2018 of a brain aneurysm. She was only 60 years old and was in excellent health. I continued as President at Hinkle through June of 2020 and then transitioned into a mentoring and advisory role until my full retirement at the end of 2022.
Ryan, Alyssa, Greylon, and Harper with Larry
Our oldest son Ryan and his wife Alyssa have been married for 19 years and have two children: Greylon (14) and Harper (11). Ryan is a history teacher and JV men’s basketball coach at Perrysburg HS.
Our second son Tyler and his wife Erin have been married for 17 years and have three children: Jack (13), Alaina (11), and Theo (9). Tyler is an attorney for the US Defense Finance & Accounting Services in Indianapolis, IN.
Tyler, Erin, Jack, Alaina, and Theo with Larry
And our daughter Alison and her husband Elias (Zani) have been married for 11 years and have two children: Nolan (7) and Sawyer (5). Elias served in the US Air Force for 10 years and continues in the reserves along with his current full-time work in marketing and communications. Alison works in a senior administrative role for a counseling and mental health care group in Cincinnati.
Alison, Elias, Nolan, and Sawyer with Larry
Matt: How wonderful to see your children doing so well. What are your priorities in life right now?
Larry: At this stage of life, family gets my full attention. Jan, while deeply missed, is very present. As a family, we often talk and laugh about her and special memories. Over time my grief is less but my love for Jan has grown stronger. We chose to remember her with joy rather than grieve over what might have been.
I attend as many of our seven grandkids baseball, football, basketball, cross country, choir, and school events as possible. We share meals, have conversations, and laugh when family is together. I try to meet our grandchildren on their terms, not mine. That may involve time at the playground, crafts, watching silly
movies, doing homework, reading books, playing games, building puzzles, eating places they choose or other activities I may not otherwise do. It is not about me. It’s about building personal family relationships based on trust, respect, and most of all love. I am very blessed.
As part of my focus on my family, I’ve committed to major travel experiences with them. In July 2024, Tyler, Erin, Alison and I went on a Mediterranean cruise visiting Barcelona, Marseille, Monaco, Florence and Rome. In July 2025 Ryan, Alyssa, Grey, Harper, and I visited England and France. In July 2026 Ryan, Tyler, Alison, and I are celebrating my 70th birthday on a Viking cruise from Istanbul to Athens. There will be more trips ahead. The opportunity to see the world has been exciting but the time together with family is priceless.
Personally, I remain very active. I serve on the Board of Directors of two construction companies (Miller Brothers in Archbold, OH and Brubacher Excavating in Bowmansville, PA) and serve in various roles at my church, Wilmore Free Methodist Church (finance team chair, Adult Sunday School teacher, community food pantry). I walk 3-5 miles daily, play golf, and travel.
In addition to my family, my priorities are my Christian faith and serving others. I want to pass on to our grandkids the faith in God that has been the core of Jan’s and my life together. I want to share the joy of living out that faith daily by leading a life that is God honoring, self-sacrificing, other oriented and filled with joy and contentment. I want to be a Christlike example in ways that are bold yet winsome, courageous yet humble, strong yet weak and compassionate yet convicted. That is my prayer and my life mission.
Matt: Beautiful; thank you so much, Larry. You’re now a few years into retirement. What advice would you give to others approaching retirement or already retired.
Focus on the opportunities that lie ahead. My prayer is to make the most of each day. I focus on quality not quantity. God still has a plan and purpose for my life.
I am aware that age and health may become limiting factors. Therefore, I am focused on the early years of retirement. If I want to travel, now is the time. I want to invest my days wisely in my family and in God’s Kingdom.
The Lord has blessed our marriage, and I want to be a good steward of our financial resources. This is a work in progress but simply put I want to be penniless when I go on to heaven. I have a responsibility to meet my needs but more importantly invest in our family and charities and ministries that have Kingdom impact. Selfishly, I want to know the joy of giving.
Retirement brings happiness knowing that the first twelve chapters of life, both the ups and downs, are complete. I intend to make the most of the last four chapters and I encourage you to do so as well. Finish strong.
Matt: Thank you so much, Larry – I know our readers will be so inspired by the life you live and the priorities you’ve chosen. We wish you and your family much joy in the years ahead.