Virginia Ruth Skinner was born Jan 7th, 1933 in Olympia, Washington. She went to be with her Lord on Feb 24th, 2018 at Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland after a serious fall. She was residing in Bothell, Washington at the time of her death.
Known to her family and friends as Ginger, she was the third child of Rev. Dwight and Ruth McLaughlin. She spent the early part of her life in Walla Walla, Washington where her father was a pastor.
When she was 10 years of age, the family moved to Tacoma, Washington. She graduated from Stadium High School in 1952 and headed off to college in Springfield, Missouri. She returned to Seattle where she finished her education at Northwest College.
A gifted musician, after college she went back to Missouri where she became the organist for Revivaltime, the national weekly radio broadcast of the Assemblies of God.
Later she returned to the west coast and settled in San Diego where she met her husband, Jim Skinner. They married in 1960 and spent 40 years in the Lancaster, Palmdale area in north Los Angeles County. Jim was a very loving, devoted husband and his passing in 2000 was a tremendous loss in her life.
Always active in her church, she was choir director, producing many musical events. She was gifted on the piano and organ. She had many young piano students who remember her teaching with fondness. In addition she worked as the assistant to the mayor of Palmdale and later, as an Executive Assistant at Antelope Valley Community College until her retirement.
In 2010 she returned to her roots in the Northwest and settled at Woodland Terrace Independent Retirement Community in Bothell, Washington. She played frequently after dinner for the residents’ enjoyment. Her passion for music included gospel, jazz and big band and she could play most every song requested by her friends. She and her friend, Diane Jackson, called themselves “Sugar and Spice” and performed at retirement communities in the area.
She is survived by a daughter, Tamra Denice Skinner, a son Gregory Glenn Skinner and wife, Jennifer: four grandchildren, Rachel, Hannah, Kristen, Zachary, and two great grandchildren, all of Lancaster, California.
She also leaves behind her sister Louise Greisen and husband Paul, many loving nieces and nephews, and a multitude of friends, both old and new.
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