William "Bill" F. Skinner II 1932-2011

SKINNER LOETSCHER HAGGARD

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 6/24/2011 at 14:17:52

Sioux City Journal
24 April 2011

SIOUX CITY -- William "Bill" F. Skinner II, 78, of Williamsburg, Iowa, formerly of Sioux City, passed away Thursday, April 21, 2011, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa.

Memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the First Presbyterian Church in Williamsburg, with the Rev. Kip Murphy officiating. Visitation will be 9:30 until service time Wednesday at the church. Powell Funeral Home and Cremation Service are caring for the arrangements.

Memorial services will also be held at a later date at the First Presbyterian Church in Sioux City.

William "Bill" Skinner was born June 24, 1932, in Marburg, Germany, the son of W. Sherman Skinner and Helen L. (Loetscher) Skinner. Bill graduated from Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa., Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., and Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, N.J.

Bill was united in marriage to Jane Haggard on June 11, 1955, in Tupelo, Miss. To this union they were blessed with four children. Bill served as a pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church in Dowingtown, Pa., from 1957 to 1961, the Glading Memorial Church in Philadelphia, Pa., from 1961 to 1971, and the First Presbyterian Church in Sioux City from 1971 to 1997. He was active in the denomination at all levels.

He was also active in his community as he served on a number of committees and agencies. He was elected to the Sioux City Council in 1977 and served as mayor for two years, 1980 to 1981. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Morningside College in Sioux City in 1981 and was named Sioux City's Man of the Year in 1981.

Bill and Jane moved to Highland Ridge Senior Living Community in Williamsburg in 2006. He was active in the First Presbyterian Church and Williamsburg Kiwanis Club. In his free time Bill enjoyed gardening, carving, canoeing, sailing, reading and golfing.

He is survived by his wife, Jane of Williamsburg; four children, William Sherman Skinner II and wife, Lori Volpe of Voorhees, N.J., Catherine E. Sladek and husband, Jim of Iowa City, Iowa, Nancy E. Skinner and partner, Marcy Beitle of New Vernon, N.J., and Robert A. Skinner and wife, Jody of Boston, Mass.; nine grandchildren; a brother, Sherman Skinner and wife, Lorrie of Inlet, N.Y.; and a sister, Sarah T. Skinner of Oak Park, Ill.

Bill was preceded in death by his father, W. Sherman Skinner; mother, Helen; and his stepmother, Frances Skinner.

In lieu of flowers memorial may be made to First Presbyterian Church in Williamsburg or the First Presbyterian Church in Sioux City.

Messages and tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com under obits.