Candice Augustine

Candice “Candi” (Koisti) Augustine passed peacefully in her sleep at her home in Winona, MN, on May 5, 2026, at the age of 66.

Candi was born April 14, 1960, to Dale and Shirley (Hawley) Koisti in Watertown, SD, three years ahead of her younger brother, Shawn Koisti.

Candi overcame many challenges in her early life and went on to become both a driven, trailblazing professional, as well as a candid friend to all she met. In her own way, she taught her children to be as steadfast and compassionate as she was.

For Candi, no job was merely a job. She took immense pride in serving her community in a variety of roles as bold and adventurous as she was. She served as a firefighter for the City of Winona, notably as the first female firefighter in southern Minnesota. She also served as a Minnesota State Trooper, an EMT, a trained cold water diver, and a DNR officer in Winona County. She dedicated herself to work as a patient liaison at the Gundersen Winona Campus where she refused to slow down.

While Candi worked hard, she loved even harder. Her romance with Lonnie D. Evans was the one that was meant to be. The two initially met in the early 2000s before their paths diverged. Over a decade later they reconnected serendipitously. They tied the knot on September 26, 2020 and deeply cherished every moment spent together until Lonnie’s passing in 2022. The two of them spent many years traveling and living together in Iowa before returning to Winona.

When she wasn’t working or traveling with Lonnie, Candi enjoyed a mix of the finer and the simple things in life: a clean, well-maintained home, well cared for pets, antique furniture and knickknacks, a manicured garden, plants in every room, and especially laughter with friends.

In spite of the hardships she faced, Candi met challenges in this life with levels of courage and generosity seldom seen. She made a career out of fighting to help people and (fitting to her name) would often hand out bags of candy as thank you gifts.

Candice Augustine is preceded in death by her parents, Dale and Shirley (Hawley) Koisti; beloved husband and soulmate, Lonnie D. Evans.

She is survived by her brother, Shawn (Mary) Koisti; children: Brittney Sabo, and Joseph D. Sabo; nephew, Kyle (Tiffany) Koisti; as well as Mildred and Joseph Sabo, who were like parents to her;

A memorial service will be held Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 5:00pm at Hoff Celebration of Life Center in Winona, MN. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning” Psalm 30:5