Henry W. SKUDERA

SKUDERA, Henry W., 86, a resident of Woodlake, passed away on Thursday, November 12, 2009. Mr. Skudera is survived by his wife, Barbara (Wiese) Skudera; his son, Wayne Skudera of Whitinsville, Mass.; three daughters, Deborah Gohlke of Midlothian, Va., Gail Mills of Lewisburg, Pa., and Leslie Jenisch of E. Swanzey, N.H.; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. The youngest of seven children, Mr. Skudera was predeceased by four brothers, Charles, George, William, and Rudolph; two sisters, Josephine and Bertha; as well as his parents, Charles and Mary (Huns) Skudera. Mr. Skudera was born June 4, 1923 in North Bergen, N.J. He attended North Bergen High School, where he played on the varsity tennis team. With the onset of WWII, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force becoming a second lieutenant and serving as a bombardier on a B-17 in the Pacific. He married his first wife, Dorothy (Ecke) Skudera on September 10, 1949 in Teaneck, N.J. They raised their family and lived for many years in Bergen County. Mr. Skudera was a longtime employee of Public Service Electric & Gas, retiring to Bennington, Vt. in 1981, where he served as a deacon in the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. In his retirement years, Mr. Skudera worked as a handyman for JC Penney. His friendly, helpful nature and his ability to fix just about anything earned him the name "Handy Hank." Mr. Skudera moved to Midlothian, Va. following the death of his first wife on August 27, 1993. He met and married Barbara Wiese of Madison, Wis., and they enjoyed 15 years of married life. Mr. Skudera will be missed by all who knew him. He was a good listener, a faithful husband and father, and a lover of life. He will be fondly remembered by his family and friends for his sense of humor, his many stories, his patience and kindness. The family will receive friends from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Monday, November 16, 2009 at the Chesterfield Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home, 14301 Ashbrook Parkway, Chesterfield with funeral services to follow at 1:30 p.m. Interment 3 p.m. at Virginia Veterans Cemetery, Amelia, with military honors. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Chesterfield Baptist Church, 16520 Hull St. Rd., Moseley, Va. 23120.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.