Great-grandmother, day care center owner, proud soccer mo

Jimmie Eisenwinter died January 26 from complications related to Alzheimer’s disease. She was 84.

Born September 27, 1940 in Muskogee, Oklahoma to Clara Opal Powell and Hanfurd Eugene Powell, Jimmie attended elementary school in Oklahoma, middle school in Earlimart, California, and graduated from Delano High School. She attended junior college at the College of the Sequoias before transferring to La Verne College (now University of La Verne), where she graduated in 1962.

She married George Wallace (Wally) Mickel at age 22 and had two children, Terri and William (Bill). Sadly, Wally died in 1968. His parents, Ruth and George Mickel, and her brother, Bill Powell, helped watch her children while she was working as a single mom.

Her family shared that, “In 1969 Jimmie married a very dedicated and loving man, Al Eisenwinter, at Claremont Presbyterian Church.” In 1971 their daughter Robin was born. They became residents of Claremont the following year.

She owned and operated The Indian Hill Day Care Center in Claremont, which provided a safe,  supportive place for hundreds of children. There she provided training for high school students and adults with firsthand training and skills development. “Her demeanor was kind and tolerant,” her family added. “She worked incredibly hard, often from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., five days-a-week. She would make special one-on-one time with each of her children and grandchildren, taking them on shopping trips or taking them out to lunch.” One of her favorite pastimes was attending her son Bill’s soccer games and later her grandchildren’s soccer games, where she was often seen pacing the sidelines. For 35 years she was known as a soccer mom and grandma. After her daughter Terri’s three children were born, she retired from day care work to become a full-time grandma.

In 2004, she and Al decided it was time to move to a retirement community, and chose Hillcrest in La Verne. She was an avid and fast reader and read many books from Hillcrest’s library. She also loved attending her husband’s drama shows and sing-alongs. “She and Al were showstoppers at Hillcrest dance events,” her family said.

The couple enjoyed cruises to Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, and family trips to Canada for her son Bill’s state championship soccer games. They were also members of the “gang,” an informal La Verne College alumni group of lifelong friends.

In her youth she was also highly active. She kept statistics for the boys’ basketball team, picked cotton in the local fields, and won a local beauty pageant. In Delano, she attended the Baptist church three times-a-week. She would later go on to lead youth groups at Claremont Presbyterian Church.

She was preceded in death by her son, William (Bill) Eugene Eisenwinter.

She is survived by her husband Al Eisenwinter; daughters Terri Wright (Chris) and Robin Giffin (Doug); brother Bill Powell; grandchildren Brian Wright (Hannah), Cori Healer (Shawn), Devin Wright (Corey), and Aler Giffin; great-grandchildren Prescott Healer, August William Healer, and Ezra Seidler-Wright; and many more extended Powell, Eisenwinter, and Mickel family members.

A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 8 in the Hillcrest Meeting House, 2705 Mountain View Dr., La Verne, CA 91750.

Jimmie’s final resting place will be Forest Lawn Covina Hills.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org.