Lieutenant Commander Howard Lee Skinner passed away peacefully on May 30, 2020, in Foley, Alabama. He was surrounded by his family and went peacefully to the Lord after a short illness. He is survived by his three children (and their spouses): Howard Lee Skinner, Jr (Theresa Skinner); Karen Elaine McClendon (Mark McClendon); and Sharon Skinner Adams (Nick Adams). He is also survived by his eight grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Maxine Skinner; parents, Odis and Annie Skinner; sister Ailene Green; and brother-in-law, Gary Howard.
Lieutenant Commander Skinner served 25 years in the US Navy. He initially served as an enlisted Hospital Corpsman, achieving the rank of Chief Petty Officer (HMC). He was later commissioned as a Navy Medical Service Corps Officer. His duty stations and assignments included: USS Venture; USS Shenandoah; 1st Marine Division; Naval Station San Juan, PR; National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, MD; National Institutes of Health and US Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, CA; and US Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA. He held degrees from the George Washington University and the Naval Post Graduate School.
After retirement from the US Navy, LCDR Skinner worked at Cullman Medical Center. He and his beloved Maxine lived in Crane Hill, AL, for nearly 40 years on Lewis Smith Lake. Upon her death, he once again answered the call of the sea and moved to Lillian to be near the ocean. He is greatly missed by all who knew him.
