Harrison "Harry" Whiting Skinner

Harrison Whiting Skinner, 89, passed away peacefully on September 23, 2025, surrounded by his family.

Born on August 8, 1936 in Minneapolis to Charles and Eleanor (Whiting) Skinner, Harry was the third of four children. He spent his childhood near Lake Harriet where he developed a lifelong love for sailing and skiing.

Harry graduated from Blake High School and began studying mechanical engineering at Stanford University before earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota. It was there he met Barbara (Bunny) Adam, his wife of 52 years, on a blind date. After three years in the family business, Harry returned to study architecture at the University of Minnesota, winning a design competition that took him to the École des Beaux-Arts, in Fontainebleau, France.

A member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Harry enjoyed a distinguishing 45-year career designing public office buildings, restaurants, hotels, libraries, schools, and private residences. He worked at Western Washington University leading the restoration of Old Main and the redesign of Western’s music school and auditorium and teamed up with architects Bob Ross and Don Wilcox to design the Whatcom Transportation Authority’s downtown Bellingham bus terminal. After establishing his own private practice, he went on to design the Squalicum Harbor Esplanade and the Port of Bellingham’s Harbor Center.

From his early roots in Minneapolis to stints in Seattle, Edmonds, Anchorage, and Hilo, Hawaii, Harry was ultimately drawn to Whatcom County, where he sought to reconnect his family to the land and design their dream home in the woods. There, he became deeply involved in civic life - running for Whatcom County Executive (1999) and Freeholder (1981) and serving on advisory boards concerned with forestry, waste management, pipeline safety, flood control, and mining. An enthusiastic tenor, he sang with the Whatcom Choral Society and was an active member in the Glen Echo Community Club.

In retirement, Harry remained deeply engaged in global issues. Motivated by the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, he designed and self-funded an innovative emergency shelter system called Recovery Huts, which he promoted globally.

Harry will be remembered as a visionary, compassionate, good-natured, winsome, sincere, honest, intellectually curious, adventurous, determined, delightfully whimsical, and a firm believer of “doing the right thing.”

Harry is survived by his wife of two years, Esther, his sister Lynn Rideout, his children Susan Brown (Clayton), Michael (Judy Lin) and Stephanie Skinner (Brian O’Neill), his grandchildren, and great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara, sister Sally Gilmore, and brother Charles Skinner.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Bellingham Senior Center.