Emery J. “Bud” Skinner passed away unexpectedly early Thursday morning, April 16, 2009. Bud will be sorely missed by his family and many, many friends and acquaintances whose lives he touched and affected. He was a loving father and husband, and was married for 58 years to his best friend and favorite bridge player, Jeanne. He was also very active in each community where he lived and particularly passionate about education, and the importance of the teaching profession in our society.
Born Sept. 12, 1927, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Nellie and Emery C. Skinner, Bud and his family grew up on a ranch near Sun Valley. He learned patience and compassion from life at home with four sisters, Betty Lou (Hankins), Karen (Musselman), Lois (Smith) and Ruth (Pierce). He is survived by two of his siblings, Karen and Lois.
Bud served his country in the Navy near the end of World War II and was honorably discharged when that war ended. He then attended Idaho State University, where he would meet and marry Jeanne Clark. Their first few months of married life were spent working at the Zion Park Lodge where they shared their love and appreciation of nature’s beauty.
Bud studied at University of Northern Colorado, and then in 1954, he and Jeanne moved to Jordan Valley, Ore., where he became principal of the elementary and middle school. After a few years in Jordan Valley, Bud and Jeanne moved to Vale, Ore., where he served as superintendent of schools for Malheur County, Ore. Bud was a member of the Vale City Council at that time.
In 1963 Bud pursued a graduate degree in education at University of Oregon, which ultimately led to his appointment as president of Treasure Valley Community College, in Ontario, Ore. He retained that position for 15 years. During that time, Bud was active in a number of organizations including Ontario’s Rotary Club. In addition, Bud served as a member of the Governor’s Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies, and also on the Oregon State Committee for the Humanities.
Following his career as college president, he was appointed by the Malheur County Court to serve as Justice of the Peace for Malheur County after the former judge died in office. He also served as an appointed member of the Oregon State Bar Association’s lawyer discipline committee and was a volunteer “lobbyist” for AARP.
A few years after retiring from Treasure Valley Community College, Bud and Jeanne moved to Oak Harbor, where he again became active in community and educational projects. He served on the Oak Harbor Education Foundation board, an organization that provided college scholarships for local high school students. A scholarship was established in his name in 2008. He even found time to participate in local politics – a subject that was near and dear to his heart.
Bud was a familiar face at the Oak Harbor Marina and local hardware stores. He always had a word of encouragement, a friendly smile, and genuine interest for anyone who crossed his path. Bud and Jeanne shared the joy of “living the good life” on Whidbey Island – gardening, boating, music and puttering about on countless projects.
He is survived by his wife Jeanne and three sons and their wives: Chris and Debbie Skinner who reside in Oak Harbor; Dr. Robert Skinner and Dr. Sue Skinner, who reside in Portland, Ore.; and Jon and Jill Skinner who live in Sacramento, Calif., and Carly, his loyal dog and friend. Bud and Jeanne have nine grandchildren: Paul, Justin, Kristine, Laurel, Catherine, Beverly, Joseph, Janie and Jeremy who love and will miss him dearly, along with many other family members and friends throughout the Northwest.
Please send any memorials to The Oak Harbor Education Foundation, c/o Kathleen Jones, E.A., 1199 SE Dock St., Oak Harbor, WA, 98277, The TVCC Foundation in Ontario, OR, or the Whidbey Animals’ Improvement Foundation (WAIF), P.O. Box 1108, Coupeville, WA, 98239.
At Bud’s request there will be a private family memorial gathering at a later date.
