Winifred "Winnie" Eleanor Damon Zeches

Winifred “Winnie” Eleanor Damon Zeches, age 84 went to be with the Lord on Thursday, April 4, 2024. 

She was born in Jamestown NY, August 16, 1939, the third of five daughters of Merle and Mary Damon.  The family had a small dairy farm and feed store in Randolph, NY.  Winnie’s early school years were in Randolph Central School.  She was active in the school band, playing Bass Clarinet, and singing in the chorus.

Her family later moved to Dunkirk, NY where her father owned a laundry service.  She graduated from Dunkirk High School in 1956.  After graduation she attended The State University of NY, Fredonia College.  Unfortunately, Winnie was never able to finish her first year of college as she was very sick with Rheumatic Fever and had to drop out of college. During her senior year in high school as young music major at Fredonia, Clarence Zeches came to be their choir director at Dunkirk Baptist Church.  They were married August 23, 1958.  Winnie sang in the choir at First Baptist Church, Toccoa, for 40 years.  She also led pre-school music at St. Matthias Episcopal Church, First Alliance Church, and First Baptist Church, all in Toccoa.

In 1985, Winnie was elected Toccoa’s First female City Commissioner, and because of the rotation system of the Commissioners, she became the first woman Mayor of Toccoa.  She served 14 years on the City Commission.

Winnie was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers in law, LeRoy Archer of Avoca, NY and Bill Little of Buffalo NY, a daughter-in-law, Susie Zeches of Toccoa, GA, her sister and brothers-in-law Patricia and Gene Fitch of Youngstown OH. 

She is survived by her husband Clarence Zeches; her son Jon, his wife Cheryl of Toccoa, GA, her son Jim, his wife Oonagh, of Roswell GA; seven grandchildren, Clayton, Savannah, Luke, Jonathan, Noah, Megan and Isabel; three sisters, Murial Archer of Thousand Oaks, CA, Dorothy Little of Rochester NY, and Loretta Hiller and her husband Ron of Michigan; a number of nieces and nephews. 

For many years Winnie was active with the Stephens County Gideon Auxiliary.  Memorials may be made to the Stephen County Gideon Auxiliary, P.O. Box 663, Toccoa, Georgia 30577, Toccoa Falls College School of Nursing, 107 Kincaid Drive, Box 809, Toccoa Falls, Georgia 30598 or to the First Baptist Church, 475 E. Tugalo Street, Toccoa, Georgia 30577

A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church Chapel April 27, 2024, 11 o’clock with The Reverend Brett Sanders and The Reverend David Ritcey officiating.

The family will receive friends at the First Baptist Church Chapel from 10:00 a.m. until the service time.  Online condolences may be left for the family at www.acree-davisfh.com.

Inurnment will follow at the Stephens Memorial Gardens with the Acree-Davis Funeral Home and Crematory in charge of the arrangements for Mrs. Winifred “Winnie” Zeches.