Aug. 11, 1924 – July 31, 2006

William ”Bill” Wallace Skilling, of Brownsville, died Monday. He was 81.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. today at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brownsville. Internment will follow at Pioneer Cemetery, also in Brownsville.

Mr. Skilling was born Aug. 11, 1924, in Eugene to Edwin and Frances Eva (Stratton) Skilling. He earned a bachelor’s degree from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif. He earned a master’s degree from Chapman College in California. He married Margaret Prior on Feb. 10, 1945. They later divorced. He then married Joyce Davies on Oct. 3, 1963, in Long Beach, Calif.

Mr. Skilling served in the Navy from 1941 through 1945 and from 1948 through 1972 and retired as a Chief Hospital Corpsman. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints. He served as president for Bend Singles Branch. He enjoyed genealogy, coin collecting, photography and framing pictures.

He is survived by his wife; a son, Micah, of Seattle; one stepson, Dane Conklin, of Kent, Wash.; four daughters, Susan, of Port Townsend, Wash., Sarah, of Seattle, Wash., Emma Whitcomb, of Tigard, and Gail Wiley, of Temecula, Calif.; one stepdaughter, Laura Holbrook, of Brownsville; a sister, Patricia Cunningham, of Livermore, Calif.; 14 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a son.

Memorial contributions may be made to Spay Inc., c/o Workman and Steckly Funeral Chapel, 1443 Long St., Sweet Home, OR 97386.

Workman and Steckly Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.