Eldon Lee Skinner

Mr. Eldon Lee Skinner of Prescott died Tuesday, June 19, 2007 at the local hospital from lungs which could no longer support life. A Remembrance of Life will be held Friday, June 29, 2007 at 10:00am with Military Honors at the Cattleman's Bar & Grill where he could be found several times each week visiting his many friends and enjoying a drink or two. Mr. Skinner was cremated and wished his remains to be spread upon the Arizona desert and also with his twin at Lake Trillium on Mount Hood. Internment will take place at the Prescott National Cemetery. A native of Colorado, Eldon was born March 24, 1926  as the eldest of twins to Archibald Lee Skinner and Jessie June Hagerman. One of 6 children born to his mother, he was preceeded in death by his twin, Eldene of Portland, Oregon, Earl Ecker of Yachats, Oregon, Ralph Ecker of Kennewich, Washington and Lois Pollard of Pasco, Washington and both parents. He is survived by his sister, Ruby Spencer of West Covina, California, his niece and caregiver, Judy Anderson of Prescott, his nephew Lee Anderson of Umatilla, Oregon and another niece, Velda Loff of Kennewick, Washington, also nephews Gary Spencer and Roland Ecker of California, including a number of cousins and numerous other great nieces and nephews. To his family, he was one of the partriarchs and the back backbone of his family and will be greatly missed. Mr. Skinner never married but preferred to lavish his knowledge and affection on his nieces and nephews. To the day he died he missed his twin Eldene and his other siblings and longed to join them. Mr. Skinner, in his early years, was a welder in the shipyards of Portland, Oregon. He later became an electrician and worked for his elder brother, Ralph Ecker, at Empire Electric of Kennewick, Washington. He then moved to Los Angeles and retired from the Los Angeles city council as an electrician. Mr. Skinner loved to keep his mind sharp working through numerous crossword puzzles daily and watching baseball games. He was a longtime fan of the game and could often be seen flipping between games so as not to miss a single one. He was a steadfast Democrat and could often be found sparing with his nieces who were just as steadfast as Republicans. A long time friend, Margaret of Sedona, Arizona, remembered him as a "diamond in the rough with a heart of gold." He could be seen as tough and gruff but to those who dug beneath his veneer would find a giant marshmallow for a heart. A nephew of North Bend, Washington, had this to say of his Uncle: "If you help the poor you are lending to the Lord, Uncle Eldon, and He will repay you. (Prov 19:17) He would often help his family in one way or another and will be greatly missed. God's word says our loved ones are gifts to us and Uncle Eldon was surely that. He was a gentle giant of a man with a huge giving heart behind that big deep voice and he loved his family more than anything on this earth. We will surely miss him more than words can say."  In lieu of flowers, his family requests a gift be made to the American Lung Association.