By Janis Reid, Whidbey News-Times Staff Reporter

A house fire earlier this week claimed the life of activist, pet rescue advocate and photographer Wendy Campbell Strang DeWinter.

While DeWinter had disagreements personally and politically, those who knew her described her as passionate, giving and obstinately tenacious.

“Wendy was an awesome activist,” said her friend Becky Spraitzar. “This is a tragedy. We’ve lost a really good person.”

DeWinter was not afraid to stand up for her beliefs.

When a few gun-toting residents showed up at an Oak Harbor council meeting in 2013 to convince leaders to allow guns in parks, DeWinter was one of the few standing up to advocate for gun control. DeWinter was also known for holding signs in public places protesting Navy jet noise, frequently asking pointed questions of elected officials and often giving speeches at government meetings.

“She was fearless,” Spraitzar said.

She also made frequent calls to law enforcement about her neighbors and had ongoing disagreements with them about the state of her property and the number of pets she housed as rescues. Sheriff Mark Brown said that, while her neighbors did frequently complain about her “eccentric” lifestyle, he said she seemed to like her privacy and was never problematic for deputies.

“I liked her,” Brown said. “She asked a lot of good questions.”

Spraitzar said she got to know DeWinter while working on the campaign for former District 2 commissioner Angie Homola. Homola described DeWinter as “a rare and gifted human being.”

“She overcame adversity with a smile and contagious laughter, finding good even in the most challenging of circumstances,” Homola said. “Because she had an artistic capacity for detail, she was able to spearhead and organize community events that would normally take several people to accomplish. Her dedication to human kind, animals, and civic duty went above and beyond the norm.”

Her daughter, Claire Knutson, a Sedro Woolley resident, described her mother as “passionate” and strong in her ability to overcome her disability. DeWinter, who had polio as a young child, had little use of one arm and relied on her daughter for assistance with some tasks while Knutson was growing up.

Even so, Knutson also said that her mother “dedicated all her time to me” when she was a child. DeWinter taught her daughter that a disability wouldn’t hold her back.

“She showed me you can do it,” Knutson said. “Not everything, but you can do a lot.”

Born in Seattle, DeWinter attended Camp NorWester as a child and would later move to San Juan Island with daughter Claire in the early 1980s. They relocated to Bellevue several years later and returned to Friday Harbor in the early ’90’s, where DeWinter, who put her photography and writing skills to use in San Juan newspapers, remained until she relocated to Whidbey Island in 2000.

Marshall Goldberg, former chairman of the Island County Democrats, said he knew DeWinter as an active member of the party, who also assisted in a variety of issue-specific movements as well. These included rallying against Citizens United legislation and supporting single-payer health insurance.

“She was smart, caring, persistent and very conscientious,” Goldberg said. “What made her special is that she lived with at least one disability.”

And, in addition to her physical restrains, Goldberg said the 70-year-old had some trouble forming sentences and expressing herself at times.

“Despite all that, she would deliver some of the most concise and clear messages,” Goldberg said of her public speaking. “I was always impressed with her ability to communicate in that venue. When she stood at the podium, she commanded respect.”

Preliminary findings have determined that DeWinter was the victim of a Tuesday morning fire at a home, identified as DeWinter’s, in the Dugualla Bay neighborhood on North Whidbey. An autopsy and dental record check were expected be conducted Friday, April 17, to confirm the identity.

Investigators say they believe the fire was an accident.

Another person staying on the property was taken to Whidbey General Hospital for treatment of minor burns and released.

“I still can’t get over it,” said friend and neighbor Bonnie Newkirk. “It’s pretty sad. I really will miss her. She was a dynamic person.”

— Journal editor Scott Rasmussen contributed to this report