Dori Skaggs

Doreen McMillan Skaggs was unexpectedly called home on March 2, 2021, at age 63, amid her plans for a much deserved retirement to be spent with her family.  Dori was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Maurine McMillan.  She is survived by her husband Paul Skaggs, of Fullerton, her two daughters, Rachel Johnson (Dylan) and Allison Tedrow (Chase), and four grandchildren, Jacobi, Marco, Angel, and Mikhael, as well as her four siblings, Kristine Kidman, David McMillan, Carol Walters, and Heidi Pelphrey. 

Dori grew up in Reseda, Northridge, and Fullerton, California. She described herself as shy and “afraid of her own shadow,” but her siblings remember her as a happy and talkative child.  She was naturally nurturing, a trait that first shone through in her care of a red stuffed monkey, a gray cat named Flannel, and an imaginary friend named Casper. She loved horses and puppies despite irritating allergies. As a child, she and all her siblings developed a love for the ocean.  She had fond memories of camping on the beach with family and continued to love watching the waves come in throughout her life.

Dori graduated from Sunny Hills High School in 1975.  She went on to study at Brigham Young University (Class of 1979)  where she felt guided to change her major to Early Childhood Education, a double major in Child Development, Family Relations and Elementary Education, a perfect fit for her nurturing personality. She remembered this decision as pivotal to allowing her to focus on her primary role as a mother and wife while contributing financially as well.  She began tutoring reading when her children were still very young, and teaching reading became her vocational passion. She was known for her patience with children as they learned the skills of reading.

As Rachel and Allison began to attend Pacific Drive Elementary, Dori became a fixture as a volunteer at the school and in the PTA, where she served as treasurer for many years. Once her girls were both in school at Pacific Drive, it became a “no brainer” for her to be hired to teach first grade, her ideal position. She loved to teach reading. A colleague remarked, “She had a trick, a song, a video for every skill. Everything was self-made, usually while the rest of us were sleeping deep into the night.” Above and beyond her duties teaching first grade, second grade, and then transitional kindergarten, Dori spearheaded a lasting Accelerated Reader program and served as a textbook evaluator for the State of California, carefully rating boxes of textbooks for use around the state. While teaching, she earned a Master of Science degree in Education: Reading from California State University, Fullerton in 2004.  After more than 25 years at Pacific Drive, Dori is remembered by students and colleagues alike for her kindness, her penchant for fun, her presence at every school function, and her willingness to help. Dori often made time outside of school to help children learn to read.  As a gifted teacher, she nurtured the Pacific Drive family, both students and fellow educators.

A conversation with Dori almost always included an anecdote from an experience with a child.  She delighted in the cuteness of young children. At church, Dori served tirelessly in many callings, memorably as Primary President and belovedly, as Nursery Leader. She always lit up with stories from her own kids, her nursery kids, her transitional kindergarten kids, and recently, her grandkids.  She loved their little voices and ideas, and she loved them.  She would happily cuddle a little one on her lap anytime and many a toddler saw her as their special friend.

Dori also had room in her heart for teens and adults, young and old.  She recently finished serving as the President of the Young Women at church. She nurtured multiple teens and young adults in her home over the years, kindly providing shelter, love, and guidance.  She spent her summer vacations with her parents as they aged, providing support and her own brand of TLC.  She reliably called her dad every Sunday and was a boon to him until he passed away only 3 days before her.

Above all, Dori was a dedicated wife and mother.  The deep passion and strength she expended for her family echoes in their lives now and forever.  She encircled them with her love and arranged her every effort around them. Her children remember diligent family home evenings, family prayers, and scripture study sessions, where they were nourished spiritually and their questions were patiently answered.  They cherish the hours Dori read novels to them in bed and loved to hear her make the stories live.  Rachel and Allison fondly recall her healing touch and her giddy holiday preparations. Even as adult children, Dori was supportive and responsive to their needs and desires, expressing love and encouragement as they created their families and approached new challenges.

From organizing her life so that she could contribute financially without missing a moment with her daughters, to helping them succeed into adulthood, Dori leaves a hole that cannot be filled.  However, her steady, unflinching faith in Jesus Christ is her lasting legacy.  Known as someone who never sat still, she was fueled by her unflagging faith as she nurtured and served in the Lord’s kingdom, where she no doubt continues to serve from the other side. Her testimony of Jesus Christ lingers here with us as our inheritance from her.