JohnD Nevers Winters, a fourth generation Nevadan, was born May 18, 1909 to Ira and Mary Kearney Winters. He attended Carson City schools and graduated with a degree in Agriculture from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1932. While at the University, he was affiliated with Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and was a member of the varsity boxing team.
Mr. Winters, whose family has been prominent in Nevada history and politics since 1957, is, along with his wife Kay, the owner of the Santa Maria Ranch and Ophir Mill Ranch in Dayton.
His great grandfather, John Davers Winters brought the family to Nevada from California in 1857 and settled in Washoe Valley, with his three sons Theodore, John D., Jr., and Joseph, all of whom were to become prominent Nevadans.
Winters' grandfather, John D. Jr., was one of the original owners of the Ophir Mine in Virginia City and ran for Governor in 1866.
His father, Ira L. Winters, was an Assemblyman and State Senator for Carson City from 1929-1941, and a life long rancher of Carson City.
While Winters never ran for political office, he nonetheless has always been active in community affairs. He was a member of the Carson City Rotary Club from 1945-1965. He helped establish the Carson-Tahoe Hospital and served as a Board member. He co-chaired the Native Nevadans Committee of the 1964 Nevada Centennial, and participated as a rider (#29E) in the reenactment of the Pony Express in 1960.
Following graduation from the University, he worked for the Nevada State Highway Department in 1932-1933 and then was an agent for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Soil Conservation Services for five years prior to joining the family business, Sanitary Diary in Carson City with his parents.
Following the death of his parents, Winters ranched in the Carson City and Washoe Valley areas and purchased the Dayton ranches in the 1950s.
He has served on the Nevada-California Interstate Compact Commission since 1958 when he was appointed by Governor Grant Sawyer. He has been reappointed by every Governor since that time.
A noted activist and proponent of water resources conservation, Winters has long been an advocate of water storage on the Carson River, since the proposal of the Watasheamu Dam in the 1940s. He believes that the water storage can be used wisely and properly during drought years. He also has served on the Carson-Truckee Water Conservation Board.
Winters is also a strong believer in education and recreation. He gave Carson City School District land to build a new high school in 1954. He also gave land near Cold Springs to the City of Carson, which in turn built the Carson Eagle Valley Golf Course. He served as an Advisory Board member of Western Nevada Community College for a number of years. Since residing in Dayton, he has participated in local affairs. In addition, he is an avid hunter and fisherman.