Durland Lewis Skinner

Durland Lewis Skinner "The People's Friend" Resident of San Leandro Durland was born in Boulder, CO August 31,1921 and passed away August 25, 2010 at 88 in Kaiser Fremont Hospital. He was proceeded in death by his father Clyde Jewett Skinner, his mother Cora Ella Ganzel Skinner, his first wife Lue Adah 's death in 1983 after 41 years of marriage, sister Lura, brothers Ellis, Cloyce and Arlo. He is survived by his wife Virginia Goff Skinner of 23 years, his brother Maynard, and wife Christy, son Douglas and wife Vicki, daughters Linda, Kathleen Saffas and husband George, grandson Caleb, granddaughter Andriana Lam and husband Ben, and great grandson Nolan, Stepson Bryan Goff and wife Nancy, Great granddaughter Jennifer Symonds, husband Skip and step great grandson Ethan, stepdaughter Nancy Werholz, step granddaughter Stephanie Paugh and step great grandsons Bailey and Tyler, step granddaughter Kimberly Werholz, Casey and son Josh. He is survived by many cousins and nieces and nephews. He served in the Army Signal Corps during WWII as a Lieutenant. His hobbies were: Book collecting, Coin collecting, Clocks and Clock repairing. He was a graduate of Boulder High in 1949 and of the University of Colorado Music School and received his Masters Degree in Music Ed in 1952. Durland got his first teaching job in Colorado in 1950 and started teaching 4, 5, 7th grades, then moved in 1952 to teach classroom music in the San Leandro Unified Schools. He was always seen carrying a guitar and flute from room to room. He always had yearly music programs, musical operettas, and school choruses. He was active in the Boy Scouts as over 50 years. Durland was a member and was choir director for 25 years of the First United Church of San Leandro on Bancroft Avenue. Durland was a 50 year member of Masonry, Aames Shrine, Scottish Rite, OES, and conductor of the Aahmes Shrine Band. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to First UMC, 1600 Bancroft Ave., San Leandro, CA 94577 or Shriners Childrens Hospital, 170 Lindbergh Ave., Livermore, CA 94551-9569 marked in Memory of Durland L. Skinner. Memorial services will be held Sept. 18 at 2 pm at the First United Methodist Church in San Leandro at 1600 Bancroft Ave.