Graveside Service: Irish Grove Cemetery,
southwest of Middletown at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, May
2, 2015.
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 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.
|
![Funeral Directors](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2008/Jul/08/images/ads/current/bennett-lda-082107-2.png)
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 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 2, 2015.
Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral Home in Lincoln
handled the arrangements.
Click here to send a note of condolence to the family of Mabel Ruth
Skelton
|