Fred ''PoP'' Skelton Jr.

TUSCALOOSA | On July 31, 1940, Fred Skelton, Jr. was born to Fred Skelton, Sr. and Viola Skelton. He and his little brother, John Edward Skelton, spent their childhood years in Moundville, Ala. The family then moved up to Tuscaloosa, where he spent the rest of his days. In September of 1959, Fred Jr. met the love of his life, Barbara Ann Brown. The very day they met, they knew they would marry. From September to December, Fred Jr. and Barbara Ann fell in love. That December Fred left for six months to join the Army Reserve. Their love story had to be written through letters to one another. Each promising their love to one another once he returned home. A very long six months later, he returned, and just a few days later, on July 21, 1960, Fred Jr. and Barbara Ann were married at Coker Baptist Church on a Thursday afternoon. With one hundred dollars to their name, they drove away in a 1956 Ford and started their life together. Fred began working maintenance at Hotel Stafford. Two years in to their marriage, Fred andBarbara had their first child, Elizabeth (Libby) Ann Skelton. While still working at the hotel, Fred met his future employer, Mr. George Hinton. He saw the potential in Fred and hired him on at Hinton Lumber, where Fred worked for twenty-nine years until he retired. Fred and Barbara tried and tried for five long years to have another child, when God finally blessed them with a son, Mark Edward Skelton. Mark was the missing piece to their family, making their hearts complete. Soon after, Fred and his little family settled in Duncanville in a little house on a big hill. Here is where Fred spent all of his spare time fixing anything and everything. You see, Fred had a talent. He could take any torn up and beat up piece of machinery and have it running in no time. Passing down his talent to his son, Mark opened the "Fix-it Shop," and for nine years they have fixed a little bit of everything together. If they couldn't fix it, then it just needed to be thrown away. Not only did Fred just fool around with motors, he also had a gift for breeding prize winning show chickens. With this, he was able to travel across the whole nation showing off his beautiful birds. Along the way he met so many lifelong friends. Oh, and fishing, the man loved to fish long hours on the river with his best buddy LeAllen, and all of the other men at East McFarland Baptist Church where Fred was an active charter member. In 1986 Fred's daughter Libby married Daniel Lee Junkin, a man he never considered a son-in-law, but a son. From this sweet marriage came Fred's pride and joy, his two granddaughters, Elizabeth Ann Junkin and Danielle Lee Junkin. If you would have met Fred, the first thing out of his mouth would have been him bragging about his two girls, his future doctor and his nurse. He was so proud of all his children. He was constantly teaching us all how to do things for ourselves, so no one else had to. Every morning at six o'clock he and Barbara would drink coffee and then he would head to McDonald's for breakfast with his buddies. In February 2014, Fred went in for a simple procedure and ended up having open heart surgery with five bypasses. But, it never slowed him down. He still fixed stuff and bred chickens and loved on his family. About two weeks ago, on June 2, 2015, Fred found out he had lung cancer. He fought a good fight and "did his best'' but on June 17th, 2015 at DCH MICU, while inthe arms of his devoted wife, his two children, and his son-in-Iaw, his two granddaughters sang him into Heaven with his favorite hymns. We sit here tonight praying for strength, but we all have a peace; a peace of knowing that we will see ''PoP'' again. Most likely he is already fishing in the Crystal Sea and fixing the motor that opens the Pearly Gates.Fred was survived by his loving wife of fifty-four years, Barbara Ann Skelton; daughter, Libby Junkin; son, Mark Skelton; son-in-law, Dan Junkin; granddaughters, Elizabeth and Danielle Junkin; brother, John Skelton; sister-in-law, Laura Skelton; niece, Ashley Skelton; brother-in-laws, Leon Brown and Dwight Whinery ; sister-in-laws; Shirley Brown and Jane Whinery; nephew and wife, Todd and Beth Whinery; nephews, Alan Whinery, Darrell Brown, and Roy Brown ; and multiple great nieces and nephews. Pallbearers include LeAllen Alexander, James Banks, Mark Lawrence, Kip Schryer, Pee-Wee Palmer and Darrell Brown. Honorary Pallbearers include East McFarland Baptist Church family, DCH MICU Nursing Staff, especially Tammie and Trevor, DCH Radiology Department, Dr. Newson, Dr. George Miller, Dr. Hemstreet, Dr. Vetrono, Dr. Chandra, Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Junkin, Dr. Jerry and Ibby Ramey, Scott McCooI, Lowel Nece, Ashley Mullins, David White, Tommy Hester Sr., Tommy Hester Jr., Allen and Barbara Langford, Robbie Walker and family, Elvis and Sue Pate, John Townsend, Walgreens on 69S Pharmacy, Cadence Bank, Mary George, Larry and Hinton Howell, Stan Bush, employees of Bush Lawn Care, Bill Wulff, the McDonald's breakfast crew, Old English Bantum Club, and anyone who ever met Fred, because he never met a stranger.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to East McFarland Baptist Church Building Fund.Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, June 20, 2015 at East McFarland Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Big Creek Cemetery in Coker, Ala. with Sunset Funeral Home, a Dignity Memorial Provider, directing. Visitation will be Friday, June 19, 2015, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. The body will lie in state one hour prior to services.