Barbara A Skellie

Barbara Ann Harder Skellie was born on November 7, 1937 in Fort Edward, New York to Jay and Edith Harder. She was one of four girls and one boy. She spent the next 48 years living in Glens Falls, New York, where she worked as a bookkeeper. While working full-time, Barb managed to raise 6 children, four girls and two boys. She was committed to her job and become a member of the New York Legal Secretaries Association. She also loved to bowl. She was quite good, bringing home the cutest little bowling pin trophies.

Barb loved to travel. She took her girls to California and her boys to Florida. She traveled to Hawaii and the Caribbean. She also loved sports. Barbara took memorable trips with her children to Shea Stadium to watch the Mets and Fenway Park to watch the Red Sox. She also enjoyed her Adirondack Red Wings hockey team and was a season ticket holder.

After 48 years of harsh New York winters, Barb decided it was time for a change and headed to the beautiful and sunny Clearwater, Florida area. There she first attended and fell in love with Calvary Baptist Church. Barb remained a member of Calvary Baptist for the next 39 years and made numerous dear friends. Barb was a member of the choir and participated in many concerts and holiday celebrations. We always loved watching Barb form the living Christmas tree at Calvary.

Barb also attended bible study and volunteered helping the small children riding the bus to Sunday School. Through Calvary, she was able to travel to places she thought she’d never see, including Poland, Ukraine, Italy, the Middle East and Mexico City. With her friendly smile and joyful affect, she loved to spread the word of God. Her trip to Israel was special to her. Barb was baptized in the Jordan River. She cried when she told us how she had walked in the footsteps of Jesus.

While in Florida, her love for sports grew. She enjoyed watching her Tampa Bay Lightning even though she would jump when the hockey puck hit the glass. She also attended tennis and golf tournaments and pre-season baseball.

Barb worked as a bookkeeper in Largo, Florida, until retiring. She then became a companion to two senior women, caring and assisting them for the rest of their lives. One woman became a beloved friend and introduced Barb to the Largo Community Center. Barb selflessly volunteered numerous hours and ultimately was elected to the Senior Advisory Board. She gave of her time as a greeter at the Community Center and also sold gift baskets at numerous events to raise money for senior activities. One year, the Community Center threw a Halloween party. Barb was going to attend without a costume until her daughter asked if Barb wanted to wear one of her costumes, a nun’s outfit. Barb won first place for the best female costume. Ironically enough, the man who won for best male costume was dressed as a priest.

Barb continued her volunteering ways until her health started to deteriorate. Her main drive to keep going was attending church at Calvary Baptist. Her true love for the Lord was the driving force in her life. Her faith and devotion was steadfast and never wavering.

While she considered herself shy, Barb always had many friends, most of whom remained her friends for life. Barb was so adorably cute that over the years, many of her children’s friends wanted to adopt her.

Barb was smart, kind and funny. She was the most wonderful daughter, sister, cousin, mother and friend. Her daughter, Julie, suffered from Diabetes. Barb would travel to Norfolk for weeks on end caring for her. She was there through our best moments. She was there through our worst. She was always there. Barb laughed with us and cried with us. She listened, comforted, consoled, advised, helped and most importantly, loved.

Her death has stirred all emotions from A to Z. Barb has gone Home now. She is in the loving arms of our Lord and in that, we find peace. Goodbye is such a harsh word but having Barb’s faith shine down on us, we know it is not really goodbye. It’s just a “see you later, Mom.”

Barb is predeceased by her parents, her sisters, her brother and her daughter, Julie Ann Skellie Smitley. She is survived by her children, Edith Mary Girard of Glens Falls, New York (granddaughters Leigh Ann Rayno and Melissa Girard, great-grandson, Matthew); Dina Marie Nolin of Fort Edward, New York (husband, Bill); Sheila Kay Skellie of Seminole, Florida; Jay Michael Skellie of Seminole, Florida; Jeffrey Scott Skellie of Windham, Maine (grandson, Zachary Starbird); her grandson, Augustus Fleming of New Bern, North Carolina (wife, Becky); and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at the Garden Sanctuary Funeral Home & Cemetery, 7950 131st Street North, Seminole, FL 33776, 727-391-0121 on Monday, October 21, 2024 with the viewing at 12:00 p.m., and funeral at 1:00 p.m. A Celebration of Life will also be held at the Chapel at Calvary Baptist Church, 110 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater, Florida 33759, (727) 441-1481 on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.

Donations in Barb’s memory can be made to Calvary Baptist Church.