Davis Van Winkle died quickly and peacefully at the age of 81 in his Sedona, Ariz., home surrounded by family. In February he fell on the tennis court playing his favorite sport which started a cascade of hospital stays and treatments including an MRI which showed significant spread of cancer to his bones. A month later, he decided to return home for hospice care and
passed five days after.

While Davis wasn’t one for deep thoughts, we believe he had great goals in life, most of which centered around reaching his own and helping others reach their full and unimagined potential. This was witnessed when he was teaching history or coaching soccer at Kent’s Hill School, Waynflete School, and Bates College. After marrying Louise Gulick, whom he met at Middlebury College, serving two years in the Army, spending six months in Vietnam, and doing a Master’s Program in Geography at Clark University, Davis then devoted his life to Wohelo Camps, Louise’s family business. The thousands of lives he touched through his leadership of these camps with Louise as his teammate and supporter can be seen when reading his Caring Bridge. His two children, Mark and Heidi, are proud to call Davis their father and help carry on his legacy as directors of Wohelo Camps.

In his own words, these are his life lessons: Stay flexible/ go with the flow; Humor is key; Friends are important; Can’t beat a pb&j; Keep physically active; Be frugal, except for essential extravagances.

A remembrance of Davis will be part of the regular Wohelo camp traditions this summer.

W. Davis Van Winkle – May 1, 1941 to March 25, 2023; Born: Summit, N.J.. Died: Sedona, Ariz. Resident: Sedona, Ariz., and Raymond, Maine. Middlebury College, ’63, All American Soccer Team 1962-63; Vietnam ’66; Clark University ’67; First Wife: Louise Gulick Van Winkle; Siblings: Webb Van Winkle (decd.), Keith Van Winkle (decd.), Barb Van Winkle; Parents: Web and Elise Van Winkle; Children: Mark Van Winkle and Heidi Gorton Van Winkle; Grandchildren: Ellie Van Winkle, Fritz Van Winkle, Hannah Gorton, Ainslie Gorton

Caring Bridge Site: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/davisvanwinkle