Eleanor L. Skinner

Skinner, Eleanor Louise Garvin, 97 of Port Charlotte, FL died 18 June 2020. Eleanor was born 10 August 1922 in Windsor; Illinois; the daughter of Bruce and Ora Litta Stivers. Bruce and his father George Garvin were sole owners of the Garvin Hardware Store in 1906 until his death in 1962. Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents and sister Mary Ann Coleman (George) and John Scott Garvin MD (Elizabeth Stone) who was head of the Neurology Department at University of Illinois- Chicago from 1972 to 1988. Eleanor graduated from Windsor High School in 1939 and participated in many activities while a student.

Eleanor Garvin attended MacMurray Illinois Woman's College is Jacksonville, Illinois. The Windsor Gazette report Miss Garvin was a chemistry major at MacMurray. She was a member of the Home Economics Club, Band, Swingcopaters, The Greetings staff, German Club, International Relations Club and Scribbler Club. In addition, Eleanor was the assistant editor of the Greetings during her junior year and editor of the Greetings during her senior year. Eleanor graduated on 16 May 1943.

Eleanor entered the Air Force in 1957 when she was offered a direct commission as a Captain while working in Civil Service in Alaska. She had served in Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio; WAF commander with ARDC and WAF at Elgin.

Eleanor was in command of the WAF squad section at Wiesbaden Air Base, Wiesbaden Germany in 1960 and was succeeded by another Windsor native Mary L Storm of the WHS class of 1945 and Illinois College in 1949 with a degree in Physics. After the assignment in Germany Eleanor attended Michigan State College to obtain a master's degree in Personnel and Production management.

Eleanor was part of the winning doubles team with June Knox during the Air Force Worldwide tennis tournament in 1960 and was runner-up in 1957 and in 1959 was 2nd to Captain June Knox at Biloxi, MS in the Air Force Championship. In 1964 while stationed at McGuire AFB, NJ, Eleanor won the singles division and doubles division of the MATS tennis tournament held in Orlando Air Force Base.

Eleanor was married in Windsor on 19 June 1965 to Earl Clark Skinner at the Windsor Christian church. Earl died on 25 October 2002 and is buried in the Windsor cemetery. In 1974 Eleanor was promoted to lieutenant colonel while serving at Lackland AFB. Eleanor and Earl had adopted a son Robert Garvin Skinner and he was murdered at a rest stop on March 20,1980 near Kerrville, Texas.

Eleanor's grandmother was Belle (Arabella) Bruce Garvin wife of George Garvin. Belle was born on 7 January 1855 in the Sand Creek neighborhood and as a little girl she recalls her mother telling of Belle sitting on the lap of Abraham Lincoln while her mother fixed his breakfast at the Windsor Hotel which her father (Jonathan D. Bruce) had built.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, July 23, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at the Windsor Cemetery with Reverend Patrick Fahey officiating and military rites by the Garrett-Baldridge American Legion Post #729 of Windsor. Memorials may be made to the Windsor Christian Church. Lovins-Lockart Funeral Home in Windsor is assisting the family.

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