Born and raised in California, Charles/Pom/Skammer, attended Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, CA where he participated in varsity cross-country, varsity swim, varsity soccer and varsity water polo. He received an NROTC scholarship and attended the University of Southern California where he walked-on to the water polo team. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering.
LCDR (ret.) Skoda was an F/A-18 Instructor Pilot and member of the Blue Diamonds squadron out of NAS Lemoore. He served 11 years active duty and 9 years active-reserve. After his active duty service, Charles went on to become a pilot for American Airlines out of Dallas, TX. Following the draw-down of post 9/11, Charles entered the business world and was Director of Leadership for Afterburner, Inc. (2002-2005); Senior Manager of Sales, Marketing and Development for Capitol One Auto Finance (2006-2008); Sr. Vice President of Strategic Operations at Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation (2009-2014); and Sr. Vice President of Corporate Operations for Brock Group (2015-2016). In 2016, he returned to American Airlines and was an Airbus First Officer based in Miami.
Charles was a gregarious, shrewd, loyal, outspoken, fiercely devoted husband, father, son, friend, brother and colleague. He championed those around him to be their best and was the man one could always count on. His 50 years were filled with adventure, family and friends. He passed doing what he loved with one of his closest friends and fellow aviation enthusiast, Steve DeWolf of Dallas, TX. Steve is survived by his wife Tammy and son Jake, a student at Oklahoma State.
He leaves behind his high-school sweetheart and wife of 26 years, Kristie Lynn Skoda; his son Chase Skoda, graduate of Yale University, currently in Naval Aviation flight training in Corpus Christi, TX; his son Clay Skoda a junior NROTC Midshipman at Yale University; his daughter Katie Skoda who will attend Yale in the fall; his mother Adele Halland Skoda of Detroit Lakes, MN; his brother Fred Skoda of Frazee, MN and his sister Evie Skoda, of Memphis, TN. He will be dearly missed by countless friends, fellow veterans, service-members and colleagues.
Friday May 4, visitation will be at 10 a.m. and a memorial service will be at 11 a.m. at Brentwood United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum-Dallas, TX (cavflight.org).
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