Jesse Winston Jr., 81, passed away December 25, 2025, at KU Medical Center. He was born February 20, 1944, in Coatopa, AL, to Jesse Sr. and Eliza (Johnson) Winston. Jesse graduated from Belmont High School, Coatopa, AL, in 1963. Jesse was a Motown music buff and enjoyed listening to Sam Cook, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross and many other blues artists. He enjoyed working on cars and was a mechanic for 40 years when he lived in California and Alabama. He then went to work for and retired from GCA Services as a supervisor at Wolf Creek. Jesse and his best friend, Sam Hess, would go on country cruising adventures and would end up antique hunting. In his later years, he started to enjoy smoking and grilling meats.

Jesse is survived by: life partner of 49 years, Deborah Coran of Burlington; children, Sheila Hudson of Troy, NY, Shawntae Coran of Burlington, Shamika Anderson and husband Jonathan of Emporia, DeShawn Coran of Wichita; grandchildren, Jason Singleton Jr., Douglas Williams Jr., Akiara Tabron, Deon Hale Jr., Deontay Hale, Tayshaun Coran; great grandchildren, 4, siblings, Shirley Pearce of Cleveland, OH, Mary Lawson, Rosetta Johnson both of Amityville, NY, Rose Marie Hayes of Roslyn Heights, NY, Catherine Russell of Zion, IL; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Jesse was preceded in death by his parents; son, Deon Montrell Hale Sr.; siblings, Emma Jean Lee, Elnora Howze, Genzell W. Dykes, Jett Winston, Aaron Winston, Joe Nathan Winston, Lorenzo Winston, and Nathaniel Winston.

Celebration of life service will be 2:00 p.m. Thursday, January 8, 2026, at Jones Funeral Home, Burlington. Family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, January 7, 2026, and from 1:00 p.m. until service time on Thursday, all at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Graceland Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to Jones Funeral Home, in care of Jones Funeral Home PO Box 277 Burlington, KS 66839.