Robert James (Bob) Skelton left us to be with his Lord and Savior on Oct. 30. He was born Jan. 25, 1943, to John and Margaret Skelton. He always said he was so excited to get here that he came two months earlier than expected.
Bob was a lifelong Lewiston resident and community member. Growing up, he spent summers working on the McCann family ranch on Craig Mountain, where he developed his lifelong love of cattle, horses and the outdoors.
He attended St. Stanislaus grade school in Lewiston, and graduated high school from St. Martins All Boy's Catholic School in Lacey, Wash. In the 1950s, Idaho students could get a driver's license at a young age, so at 14 Bob drove the school bus to take classmates skiing at Mount Hood or Mount Rainier and also to go pick up the girls from the all-girl's Catholic school for dances.
In the fall of 1964, Bob became president of the Cabrini Club, a newly formed Catholic singles club in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. There he met the love of his life, the secretary, Carlene Dahmen. Bob and Carlene became engaged after only two weeks. They were married Sept. 18, 1965, and have been married for 47 years. They had three children, Joseph, Anna and Michael.
Bob served six years for the Washington Air National Guard, being honorably discharged in 1969. He spent his career working for his father, at Skelton's Floor Covering, and purchased the family business in 1982. He enjoyed working alongside his father, and also loved to play practical jokes on his co-workers. Bob entered into semi-retirement in the late 2000s and then spent his time enjoying ranching, driving truck, doing projects for others and sharing stories at coffee.
Bob served on Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Council and building committee, which built St. James Catholic Church. He also served on the board of the Valley Boys and Girls Club and was among the first to be inducted to the Honor Board in 2001. He served on the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center Board of Directors, Lewiston Lions Club and the Lewiston Chamber of Commerce. Bob was a member of Boy Scout Troop 162 and later served as scoutmaster for Troop 162. He enjoyed taking care of the needs of others, and did so unselfishly. He volunteered as a snow groomer for more than 20 years, and in 1995 he was awarded National Groomer of the Year throughout the U.S. and Canada for his volunteer work in Nez Perce County.
Bob was an amazing craftsman and could make nearly anything; a talent he learned from his father. He was an unbelievable jokester and loved to wrap up gifts inside wooden boxes that had been nailed and screwed shut and took a tool chest to open. Bob's sense of humor made him the life of the party.
Bob will be dearly missed by his wife, Carlene; son, Joe Skelton; daughter, Anna Skelton; son, Michael (Angie) Skelton; grandchildren, Adeline and Maleah Skelton; brother, Bill (Darlene) Skelton; sister, Mary (Pip) Ausman; mother-in-law, June Dahmen; sister-in-law, Mary Lou (Mike) Koelsch; brother-in-laws, Dave (Joan) Dahmen and Jim (Marilyn) Dahmen. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and his many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his father-in-law, B.C. Dahmen.
A Rosary will be recited at 6 p.m. Sunday at Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home in Lewiston. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church and lunch will follow at the parish hall. Burial will be held afterward at St. Galls Catholic Cemetery in Colton.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to All Saints Catholic Church Building Fund, 633 Fifth Ave., Lewiston, or the Valley Boys and Girls Club, 1021 Burrell Ave., Lewiston.
