Janet Evelyn Skinner

A memorial service for Janet Evelyn Skinner, 96, of Coos Bay, will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday, March 24, at Harmony United Methodist Church, 123 Ocean Boulevard SE in Coos Bay.

Janet was born Jan. 11, 1922 in Wanderoos, Wisc., to John and Ella Anderson. She passed away Feb. 28, 2018, of age-related causes.

Janet grew up on a small homesteaded farm near Amery, Wisc. She occupied the small two story, three-bedroom farmhouse with her parents, a grandparent, an aunt, an uncle, and three siblings, Ellen, Marion and John. Janet was the last surviving member of that household.

During her senior year in high school in 1940, after the teacher became ill, she taught kindergarten for two hours a day; no license required in those days. She received 10 dollars a month and got free bus transportation. After graduating high school, she worked as a bookkeeper at a cheese factory and also tested milk for butterfat content. During the war in 1942, she also volunteered as a nurse aide at a local hospital and worked from 7-11 p.m., Monday through Friday.

She moved to Tacoma, Wash. in 1943 to work for Boeing Aircraft as a riveter and bucker, assembling airplane bomber wings for B-29's and life rafts for B17's. One year later she got aluminum poisoning from drilling out improper rivets and was granted release in 1944.

Janet moved to Glendale, Calif., and lived with her sister and two friends from Missouri. She worked for investment firm, Blythe & Co. as secretary to the manager and got to meet and befriend some of Hollywood's stars. She was married to childhood friend, Leon Myhrvold from 1946-1948. With brief stays in Coos Bay, to help her parents after her father's first heart attack, Hood River, Longview and back to L.A., in 1952 she settled in Coos Bay. She married Lloyd Skinner in April of 1952 in Coos Bay, where they started a family. Lloyd passed away at age 66.

She has worked for Hale's Office Equipment, CB/NB Water Board and Reese Electric. In 1963 she started at Littrell Supply which later became Farwest Truck and Auto Supply. She became office manager in 1977 and worked in that capacity until 1995 when she went to part time employment. She fully retired in 2000 at the age of 78.

Janet was active in her church and a member of Harmony United Methodist Church since 1952. She was also a member of American Business Women's Association for several years and was the Woman of the Year in 1975.

Janet enjoyed traveling with friends to Hawaii, Arizona and up and down the coast. Any time spent with her children and grandchildren always put a smile on her face. She lived in the same house from 1952 until the age of 95, when she finally had to give up the house and driving due to her vision and health. She loved her flowers and could always be found in the garden with her hands in the soil. She also loved music and could play the piano and sing. She was a tenor in her church choir for decades and also was a member and assistant director in the Sweet Adelines Chorus. She also loved passing down some of her Norwegian heritage inherited from her parents. Holiday season would find her in the kitchen making krumkake, lefse, sandbakelse and rosettes. She loved teaching younger relatives her tricks for rolling lefse, not an easy task. She will be missed by everyone she has touched in her long and beautiful life.

She is survived by her sons, Gene and wife, Linda Skinner, Alan and wife, Teresa Skinner; son-in-law, Rod Hanley; and 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Mary Hanley.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Harmony United Methodist Church, 123 Ocean Boulevard SE, Coos Bay, OR 97420.

Arrangements are under the care of Coos Bay Chapel, 541-267-3131.

Friends and family are encouraged to sign the online guestbook at www.coosbayareafunerals.com

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