Henry Skeen

Family-Placed Death Notice

MAJOR GENERAL HENRY GENE SKEEN Major General Henry Gene (Hank) Skeen (U.S. Army retired), 72, of Cumming died Thursday, January 12, 2006 at Emory University Hospital. A native of Dale County, Alabama, he entered the Air Force in 1949 and transferred to the U.S. Army in 1953, and upon completion of Officer Candidate School that year was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry. After serving as platoon leader in various infantry and Airborne companies, he was awarded a Regular Army commission as a Quartermaster First Lieutenant in 1958. During most of his career, General Skeen held important Quartermaster mission-related command and staff positions, including Director, Supply and Maintenance in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Secretary of General Staff, U.S. Army Computer Systems Command; and Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army; and Secretary to the General Staff, U.S. Army Computer Systems Command, Fort Belvoir, VA. His important commands included Commander, U.S. Army Troop Support Command in St. Louis, MO; Commander, Defense Industrial Support Center in Philadelphia, PA; Commander, Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service in Battle Creek, MI; Commander, 88th Supply and Service Battalion in Vietnam; Commander, Regional Support Activity, Military Region II, Vietnam; Commander, U.S. Army Logistic Evaluation Agency at New Cumberland Army Depot; and Commander, Burtonwood Army Depot in England. General Skeen played a pivotal role in launching the Quartermaster Corps into the automation era in the 1960's and 1970's and later lent major support to the establishment of the Army Supply Excellence Award and the Army Supply Master Plan. He is preceded in death by his parents, Mark and Willie Mae Skeen, a brother, Roy Skeen and his former wife of 34 years, Pauline Skeen. Survivors include his wife, Nancy Johnson Skeen of Cumming; sons, Michael Skeen and Kenneth Skeen, both of Alabama, Jeff and Sue Johnson of Canton; daughters, Carla Lambert of Fairfax, VA, Connie and Gary Seacrest of Dunwoody, Lynn and Roy Jones of Brentwood, TN; brother, James Skeen of Conyers; 9 grandchildren including Meredith Seacrest and Ryan Seacrest, both of Los Angeles, CA, Cristy and Mack McClung, Eric Jones, all of Nashville, TN, Shannon and Kevin Smith of Atlanta, Summer Johnson of Canton; and great grandchildren, Tyler, Clay and Caleigh. Funeral services will be be held Saturday, January 14, at 11:00 a.m. at Cumming First United Methodist Church with remains placed in state at 10:00 a.m. The Rev. Howard R. Caldwell and the Rev. Ron Preuss will officiate. Interment will be later in Arlington National Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday from 6:00 until 9:00 p.m. at McDonald and Son Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN or to the Cumming First United Methodist Church for Children's Ministries. You may express condolences on-line at www.mcdonaldandson.com. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home and Crematory, Cumming, (770)886-9899