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Visitation:
None
Graveside Service: At Irish Grove
Cemetery, southwest of Middletown at a later date.
Funeral home: Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral
Home
Obituary
Mabel Ruth Skelton, 91, of Middletown, passed away
at 12:58 a.m. on Monday, March 30, 2015 at home
surrounded by her loving family.
Mabel was born on February 23, 1924 in Ina, a
daughter of Joseph Ennis and Helen May (Barker)
Wilson. She married Richard Raymond Skelton on April
1, 1940 in Palmyra. He preceded her in death on
August 22, 1963.
Mabel is survived by her companion of over four
decades, Bill Quast of Middletown. Other survivors
include three sons, Dick (Debbie) Skelton of
Lincoln, Tim (Judy) Skelton of Mason City, and Rusty
(Stacie) Skelton of Middletown, seven daughters,
Jenny (Harold) Stout of Middletown, Jackie Poole of
New Holland, Carol Renfro of Middletown, Sharon
Marcum of Seattle, Debbie (Bub) Frakes of
Middletown, Syb (Joe) Liesman of Hartsburg, and
Kelly (Rick) Hoffert of Middletown, and Bill’s
children Charlie Quast of California, and Becky
Quast of Middletown.
As the matriarch of her family, Mabel left a legacy,
at last count, of nearly 300 children,
grandchildren, great-grandchildren,
great-great-grandchildren, and even
great-great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father, mother,
husband, and nine children, sons Jerry Skelton,
David “Pip” Skelton, Andrew “Joe” Skelton, Billy
Dale Skelton, daughters Patsy Skelton, Deany Baker,
Kasey Brooks, Ruth Ann Hoffert, and Cheryl Himes.
She was the last of her immediate family which
included brothers Carl Wilson, Ivan Wilson, and
Boone Wilson and sisters Reba Sparks, Cleta Scott,
and Ava Morrison.
Mabel spent most of her adult life as a housewife
and mother caring for and loving her family. She
reminisced about delivering the paychecks to the
miners at the Johnson Coal Mine at age 12. |
In 1943 she worked at the Sangamon Ordinance plant
at Illiopolis during WWII. Mabel had driven a semi
and had worked at the Stetson China Factory in
Lincoln. Over the years she also worked in local
eateries making and serving up home-style food.
In her younger years she enjoyed fishing and
camping. She loved working in her garden, sewing,
making crafts, cooking and baking. Most of these
skills were passed onto her children and
grandchildren.
She babysat for several generations of children,
both related and unrelated. Mabel was known, loved
and respected by so many people.
She loved country music, putting together puzzles,
was an avid NASCAR fan, with Jeff Gordon being her
favorite driver, and she cheered on the St. Louis
Cardinals.
Cremation rites have been accorded. She requested no
visitation. A graveside service will be conducted at
Irish Grove Cemetery, southwest of Middletown at a
later date. Pastor Curt McCallister of the Mason
City Community Chapel will officiate.
Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home in Lincoln
handled the arrangements.
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