Resident Spotlight

Winnette Stinson’s story starts on a summer day in Thomasville, Georgia, in 1944. The Stinson home held five children—two brothers, two sisters, and Winnette herself—each finding their place in the gentle bustle of small-town life. Early on, Winnette learned the rhythms of work and family, her favorite memories rooted in mornings spent helping her father at the farmers’ market. She still fondly recalls the sights and sounds there: sunlight catching on cartons of peaches, her father’s laugh mingling with the market chatter, and her own growing sense of pride at his side.

Winnette attended Joy Business School in Thomasville, where she learned speed writing—also known as shorthand—a skill that made her remarkably quick on the keys in her first job, answering calls for doctors and lawyers. No two days were the same, and she learned to keep her composure no matter who was on the line.

But it was at John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital, working as a nurse’s aide, where Winnette discovered an unexpected favorite spot: the emergency room. Fast-paced and unpredictable, it was a place where she could make a difference each shift. After a brief turn through Commercial Bank, handling the tricky business of returned checks, Winnette found her professional home at Ed Chambers State Farm. There, as an insurance underwriter, she spent the rest of her career guiding neighbors through moments of uncertainty, always with a steady hand and a reassuring voice.

Home life for Winnette was every bit as full. She married Gregory Stinson in 1979, and together they built a family that would grow to include a son, a daughter, four grandchildren, and a dozen great-grandchildren. Weekends and vacations were often spent on the road—exploring the backroads of North Carolina and Tennessee, setting up camp beneath open skies, or simply enjoying a peaceful day at the beach. Gregory’s passing in 2019 closed a 42-year chapter filled with shared adventures and cherished memories.

Change came, too—as it does for everyone. Winnette spent four years living in West Virginia with her daughter before returning to the familiar rhythms of Thomasville, where the town and its routines welcomed her back like an old friend. In quieter moments, she channeled her creativity into arts and crafts, turning recyclables into treasures, and later found peace in gardening as the seasons turned.



Now, at Legacy Village at Plantation Manor, Winnette’s journey has found a new setting—one that feels a little like home, and a little like the next adventure. We’re grateful to have her among us, and grateful for the story she brings to share.