Winona Skaggs

Winona Skaggs

1939-2018

Winona Louise Skaggs was born December 23, 1939 in Abbeville, LA. to parents Barnie Lavelle and Bertie Louise Atkinson. She attained her lifetime goal of going to live with her heavenly Father on June 20, 2018. She battled ovarian cancer for almost eight years, participating in four clinical studies. She graduated from Pasadena High School in Pasadena, Texas and then attended Abilene Christian College. She married Jack Skaggs in 1959 and they would have celebrated 59 years of marriage this December. Winona was an Air Force pilot’s wife for almost 21 years which spanned the Cold War and the Vietnam War. She moved every two years but persisted in continuing her education and graduated from Midwestern University in 1977. She earned a degree in Elementary Education and taught at Alabama Christian Academy and then at Sequoyah Middle School. She loved teaching seventh graders and taught for twenty years. Winona loved teaching Bible Class and thoroughly enjoyed being with Internationals. She was a faithful member of Memorial Road Church of Christ for over 37 years. She supported her husband, Jack, as an elder’s wife for 29 years. Winona loved opening her home to others and many university students enjoyed her cooking. Thanksgivings were international affairs with dishes brought by loved international guests. Winona enjoyed traveling and even continued to travel internationally after being diagnosed with cancer. She has walked the Great Wall of China, snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef, gone alligator hunting on the Amazon and ridden a camel in the desert by the Great Pyramid. She would say that none of those things could compete with worshiping and fellowshipping with Christians in Mombasa, Vienna, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Paris, Croatia, Lisbon, Hong Kong, and China. Winona loved the Word and made her way through the Bible over and over again. Winona was a Master Gardener and also an avid quilter.

Winona is preceded in death by her parents, Barnie and Louise Atkinson and a grandson, Mitchell Warren. She is survived by her husband Jack Skaggs, brother Kenneth Atkinson and wife Kathy of Deer Park, Texas; daughters Cynthia Greer and Cheryl Lawrence of Montgomery, Alabama, Catherine Mosier of Lantana, Texas, Michelle Green of Longmont, Colorado; sons-in-law Daryl Greer, Dennis Lawrence, and Wade Mosier; grandchildren Ben and Abbie Greer, David and Sarah Greer, Jacqueline and Corey DeWaters, Micayla Mosier, Nelson Mosier, Kalyn Warren and Kimberlyn and Bryce Dryden; eight beloved great-grandchildren and nephews and nieces. The family will forever be grateful to Dr. Kathleen Moore and the entire staff at the Stephenson Cancer Center, as well as the kind and professional nurses of the Loving Care Hospice.

A formal visitation will be held on Sunday, June 24th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Matthews Funeral Home. Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m., Monday, June 25th at Memorial Park Cemetery with memorial services to follow at 2:00 p.m. at Memorial Road Church of Christ.

Contributions in Winona’s memory may be sent to Stephenson Cancer Center at www.stephensoncancercenter.org. Click the yellow box in the upper right hand corner titled “Give” then click yellow icon on far right under picture titled “Contribute”, fill out required fields and click “submit.”