Newport News –

Antonia Villagomez Winters slipped away from this life to another in her home in Newport News, VA, surrounded by family on Sunday, August 22, 2021 at the age of 74.

Toni was born in Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the 4th eldest of 15 brothers and sisters, and as an older sister learned childrearing well and importantly, cooking skills, much to the delight of her husband. She did not disappoint exposing her family to a broad variety of Pacific Island dishes.

She was a travel agent for a time and enjoyed doing a wide range of crafts from painting to crocheting. Coming from a large family, this last, a hobby from her teens, was enthusiastically taken up again when she was finally given a granddaughter late in life. She was helpless before her, and once again began crocheting despite the intense pain of her arthritic hands to make more stuffed animals than any child could use; a testimony to the power of a grandchild.

Toni was predeceased by her older sisters, Ana, Maria, and Virginia and younger brothers, Manuel and Raymond. She is survived by her husband, of 55 years, Timothy Winters of Newport News; 2 children, Jonathan Jeffrey Winters (Allison Miller) of the Outer Banks, Tara Winters Deloach (John Deloach) of Washington and 1 granddaughter, Isabella Christine Deloach.

She is survived also by sisters, Connie Guerrero, Frances Muna, Florence Tagowa, all of Saipan, Diana Haubner of Maryland, Rita O’Haire of California and brothers, Pete of Guam, Ben of Washington, Joseph and John of Saipan.

She spent her last few days on the edge of consciousness listening to very old recordings of her home island music playing quietly in the background and gently sung to her by her husband; she held his love from the first moment he saw her until the last.

Cremation Society of Virginia-Newport News assisted the family with arrangements.