DeRoy Skinner

DeRoy Skinner, former longtime resident of Ponca City, died Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006, at Veterans Administration Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He was 87.

The funeral will be held Saturday, Feb. 18, at 10:30 a.m. at Spring Creek Baptist Church, 11701 N. Macarthur, Oklahoma City, with James Kirkendall, Baptist Missionary, officiating. A graveside service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery, Ponca City, with the Rev. Dr. Larry E. Nigh, pastor of Northeast Baptist Church, presiding. Burial will be with military honors and Masonic graveside rites. Viewing will be until 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday at Grace Memorial Chapel in Ponca City and beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Spring Creek Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.

DeRoy was born July 29, 1918, in Higgins, the son of Jess W. Skinner and Lona Belle Seeley Skinner. In 1934, he entered Chilocco Indian School where he was president of his class each year and served as Student Council president his senior year. Additionally, he played the clarinet in the band and tried boxing. While at Chilocco, DeRoy learned the printing trade which led to a life long career. He was also a member of Company C, 180th Infantry Oklahoma National Guard. After graduating in 1938, he attended Central State College. He worked his way through college in the print shop while also working nights at the Edmond Sun Newspaper. DeRoy continued playing in the band at Central State College and there he met Mildred Bertha Cordis. They married July 15, 1939, in McAlester and to this union was born three children, DeRoy Jr., Linda Elizabeth, and Susan Eileen.

After earning his teacher's certificate from Central State College, DeRoy was offered a position to teach at Hartshorne; however, he declined the teaching opportunity to move to St. John, Kan., to help family friends with their newspaper business. DeRoy worked for various newspapers in several cities as he searched for a place to call home and raise his family. In 1943, the family moved to Ponca City and he worked at the Ponca City News.

On Sept. 29, 1944, he was called into the U.S. Army from the Oklahoma National Guard. He served in the Pacific Theater during World War II and received an honorable discharge on Oct. 30, 1946, as a technical sergeant. He returned to Ponca City and continued his career in the printing business at the newspaper. In 1948, he purchased a print shop with Roy Nuckols, Nuckols/Skinner Printing. After several years, he bought out his partner and continued the business as Skinner and Son Printing Co., for over 40 years. It was a family business, with Mildred and all the children involved. Mildred preceded him in death on Dec. 27, 1985.

DeRoy was an active member of First Baptist Church in Ponca City. He was also very active in community and civic organizations. He was a member of American Legion and served as commander of Huff-Minor Post 14 as well as being honored by Buffalo Post 38 at White Eagle. He also served as past commander, Eighth District American Legion. He received his 50-year membership award with the American Legion. DeRoy also was a member of American Business Club and had served as president. He was also a past president of U.S. Highway 60 Association.

DeRoy was a member of Ponca Lodge 83 AF & AM. He had received his 50-year membership as a mason and was a Scottish Rite, York Rite, Akdar Shrine and Kay County Shrine. Additionally, he served on the board of directors of the Kay County OSU Alumni Association and was past president of the OSU Posse Club of Northern Oklahoma. He always joked that he bled "orange and black." All three of his children attended OSU. He was also active in the Chilocco Alumni Association and was named honorary chief of the Choctaw Nation. In 1985, he was inducted into the Chilocco Hall of Fame.

DeRoy joined the Ponca City Noon Lions Club in 1961 and became active immediately. He served as past president of Ponca City Noon Lions Club, named Lion of the Year in 1977-1978, and received an honorary lifetime Lions membership from the Ponca City Noon Lions Club. He also served as zone chairman, deputy district governor, and cabinet secretary-treasurer of District 3M. From 1981-1982, he served as district governor and was council chairman from 1982-83. Also in 1982-1983, he was named District Lion of the Year. He was elected international director from 1986-1988 in New Orleans. As an International Lions Club director, he traveled over 71,000 miles in two years presiding at numerous official functions in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda, China, Korea, Asia, South America and other areas throughout the world. His theme for his campaign for the directorship was Bring Quality to Life. He ended his term at the International Lions Convention in Denver in 1988. After moving to Oklahoma City, he was a member of Downtown Lions, Northwest Lions, and Yukon Lions Clubs. As a Lion, he received four International Presidential Certificates of Appreciation, four Presidential Awards, two International Presidential Leadership Awards, and was named ambassador of goodwill, which is the highest honor bestowed on a Lion. DeRoy was also a Progressive Melvin Jones Diamond Fellow and was honored last year with the Bob McCullough Service Award. DeRoy maintained perfect attendance in Lions Club for over 40 years.

On July 30, 1989, he married Helen Walton Cassingham in Oklahoma City. He sold the print shop in 1990 and they retired to Oklahoma City. He and Helen were active in Community Care HMO and involved in the ground breaking of MAPS in Oklahoma City. They helped form the Bluff Creek Neighborhood Association, where DeRoy served as president, began publishing a newsletter and directory, and helped organize a volunteer neighborhood patrol. He did whatever needed to be done.

In addition to his many involvements, DeRoy enjoyed woodworking and painting. He also enjoyed decorating and celebrating all holidays. He loved kids and enjoyed helping them with whatever needed to be done. DeRoy was quite the family man. He was a great role model and mentor, a devoted husband, a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was affectionately known as "BaBa" to his grandchildren. DeRoy had a magnetic personally and was loved by all he met. He will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife, Helen, of the home; three children, DeRoy Skinner and wife Carolyn of Colorado Springs, Colo., Linda Elizabeth Skinner and husband Tyrone Stewart of Edmond, and Susan Eileen Skinner Ladner of Ponca City; six grandchildren, David Skinner and wife Kristin, Danielle Skinner Behar and husband Ron, Zac Ladner and wife Kendra, Quin Skinner Brace and husband Scott, Holly Ladner, and Will Skinner Brewer; seven great-grandchildren, Braden DeRoy Ladner, Riley Cole Ladner, Brandon Behar, Blake Behar, Brittany Behar, Michael Brace and McKenzie Skinner; sister-in-law, Shirley Cordis Jackson of Huntsville, Texas; many nieces and nephews, including, Sandra Bauer and Terry Ulery; and many other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred; his parents; brothers, Leo "Bud" Skinner, Charles E. "Sam" Skinner, and infant brother, Opie Skinner; and a sister, Nancy Porter.

During the last days of his life, he was touched by the kindness and love he received from the staff of Veterans Administration Medical Center and the Quail Creek Nursing Rehabilitation Center in Oklahoma City.

Casket bearers will be Victor Ukonu, Burt Cooper, Sgt. Charles Epperly, Willie Stinson, Danny Gordon, Bob Austin and Jim Keisman.

Honorary bearers will be members of the Quail Creek Nursing Rehabilitation Center staff, Lions of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Veterans Administration Medical Center staff, Chilocco Alumni Association members, Bluff Creek Neighborhood Association members, and his most recent roommate, Thomas Grayson.

Contributions may be made in his memory to Oklahoma Lions Service Foundation for the Lions Eye Bank and Boy's Ranch, 4123 NW 10th Street, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73107