HAMLET — Although Valentine’s Day was a day behind, an outpouring of love continued for Nina Winstead on Saturday, Feb. 15, with many of her family members and friends gathering to celebrate her 90th birthday.
The special event was hosted by her family in the fellowship hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Hamlet, where she is a member. It’s the same church where she celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary with her late husband, David, who passed away three years ago.
Winstead and her family moved to Hamlet in 1978; that is when she began assistant teaching at Fairview Heights Elementary School. She spent her entire career in education, and everyone saw how much she enjoyed it.
“I worked with the children in kindergarten and first grade at Fairview Heights for 27 years, and I loved it,” Winstead recalled. “I enjoyed working with the other teachers, two of them were Bobby Jones and Juanita Harris. We had a lot of fun together and had the best time with the children. I’ve always wanted to be around children — it makes me happy.”
Harris described Winstead as a “hard worker.”
“Her kindness and loving spirit stands out as well as always being upbeat; she makes me feel good when I go see her,” Harris said. “She was very active in her church. She can’t get around like she used to, and I go see her often.”
A 1935 banner hung on the wall above a table decorated with photos. The banner featured information on events and statistics from that year: one popular song was “On the Good Ship Lollipop” by Shirley Temple; the population of the U.S. was 127.25 million; a new car cost $580; and a dozen eggs were 18 cents.
“I look at the banner and think of how much my mother has seen things change since then,” said her only son, Mark Winstead. “We moved around a lot when I was young, as my father was in textiles management. My mom is completely embedded in this community — Hamlet, Rockingham, and all of Richmond County.”
Mark Winstead said his mother is “still very sharp” and lives on her own. Being in the military and living more than six hours away, he said he has comfort in knowing she is in such good care, including from her friends and his high school friends.
“It’s nice to see the community give back to her, he said. “We are very much appreciative.”
Nephew Mike Loyd recalled times when Winstead would call when she couldn’t make it to a family gathering.
“We would pass the phone around; it may take 45 minutes for her to speak to everyone there, and she always told us she prayed for each one of us every night,” Loyd said. When she was able to attend, she always did creative giveaways with money for the kids. They always knew when she was there that she was packing.”
Loyd also recalled flying out to stay with Winstead and her family for a week at a time when he was a child.
“Her roots in Hamlet are long, and it is definitely her home,” Loyd said. “I always said she had the biggest support staff ever.”
In speaking to several of Winstead’s friends, there was one thing in common they all mentioned: the deep love she had for others along with her giving heart.
Cindy Lear and Jeanne Short are both in the same book club with Winstead.
“Nina has a love for animals like I do… She’s a good friend, so loving and kind,” said Lear. “Many of us go by and check on her since she started having health problems.”
Short, a former hairdresser, said she met Winstead about 40 years ago “when she came in to get her hair done.”
“Our friendship began that day,” Short said. “We go to church together and she would do all the decorating here, now I am over it … She is a very loving and thoughtful person, a pleasure to be around. Anytime you are around Nina, she makes you laugh.”
Saturday was Winstead’s turn to sit back, enjoy, and receive the overflowing amount of love shown from everyone on whom she made an everlasting impact — a special lady who means so much to so many in the community.
“I think this is the most fabulous party I’ve ever attended,” she said. “All my friends are angels, and I’d do the same for them. I enjoyed being on the giving end throughout all the years, as I’ve done many events for people here; I love this church.”
