Martha Skinner

Martha Dessie Skinner

June 4, 1924 – February 18, 2014

Martha D. Skinner died on February 18, 2013 in O’Fallon, Missouri.

Martha was born on June 4, 1924 to Mary and Clarence Ross in Kokomo, Indiana. She spent most of her life in Kirksville. Martha graduated from Kirksville High School in 1943. During World War II she moved with her mother and sister to Wichita, Kansas to work at Boeing Aircraft on B52 airplanes. After the war she returned to Kirksville and married Rodney E. Skinner on March 11, 1946. They remained in Kirksville until 2004 at which time they moved to O’Fallon, Missouri to be near their children. After 62 years of marriage he preceded her in death in 2008.

During her years in Kirksville, Martha was employed by The International Shoe Company and Southwestern Bell Telephone Company for many years. She retired when the company moved employment elsewhere. She was active in the First Baptist Church from a young age and until she moved to O’Fallon, Missouri.

Martha always went out of her way to help others. She especially liked children and of course she loved her family and her “grand dogs”. She was very talented in all kinds of sewing, knitting, ceramics and crafts of any kind. In her later years she especially enjoyed puzzles, crossword puzzles and especially bingo. Everyone that knew her thought she was quite the character.

She is survived by her son and his wife, Jerry and Sheryl Skinner, her daughter, Mary Ann Skinner, her grandchildren, Tanya Orr and her husband Robert, Rodney J. Skinner and his wife, Kathryn. In addition she is survived by four great grandchildren, Cody Orr, Lauren Orr, Mathieu Skinner and Sabrina Skinner. Martha is also survived by her sister, Mary Mountain, of Kirksville and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by 8 brothers and sisters. They include Chester Ross, Cleland Ross, Charles Ross, Crawford Ross, Clifford Ross, Bessie Ross, and two that died in infancy.

Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday (February 23, 2013) at Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home with Reverend Don Noble officiating. Burial will be in Park View Memorial Gardens.

Visitation with the family will be from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Saturday at the

Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home

2100 E. Shepherd Ave.

Kirksville, MO 63501 660-665-2233