Lloyd James Skidmore III

Lloyd James Skidmore III, of 1211 Apt 103, Westview Lane, Raleigh, died Monday, November 13, 2006. Lloyd was born in Modesto, CA. on February 23, 1950, the son of Colonel Lloyd J. Skidmore, Jr., US Army (Retired) and Cynthia Brown Skidmore, formerly of Warthen, GA.
After graduating from Sandersville, GA, High School, he entered NC State University, but withdrew after his first year to enter the United States Coast Guard. After his period of service in the Coast Guard, he returned to Raleigh to enter the construction business. In addition to engaging in residential construction, he began his career as an "artisan builder" where he applied his decorative skills to the interior of the Darryl's Restaurants. At age 19, he concocted a design motif, scrounged and assemblage of decorations, and worked with construction managers and engineers to launch the first four Darryl's established by the Eure family.
As the Triangle restaurant scene became more diverse throughout the 1970's, he turned his attention to another benchmark, that of local nightclubs scene. At the same time, he was engaged in the renovation of local nightclubs.
During the 1970's he quickly learned the promotion business and he soon began to match bands with local nightclubs. His renovation-entertainment activities resulted in development of the Pier in Raleigh's Cameron Village Underground, the Goats Head at Raleigh's Five Points, and the Mad Hatter in Chapel Hill. During that same period he found time to design and stage the Miss North Carolina Pageant.
In addition, his various artistic accomplishments included the development and set designs for the movie "The Abyss" filmed inside an abandoned Duke Power Co. Nuclear Power Plant in Spartanburg, SC.
He initiated his painting career with his teaching art at Cape Cod, MA. and in Raleigh which set the stage for a fulltime return to painting. One of his first recognized accomplishments was the mural-size sketches of great moments in local baseball history as a foundation for the dcor for the Durham Bull's Stadium. His paintings subsequently attracted area wide attention regardless of subject matter, the painting color remains as the highlighting feature of the painting. It has been said that he has an intuitive ability to paint not what he sees, but what he "knows is there".
Lloyd was also known as a designer /producer of fundraising galas for the Visual Art Exchange.
Lloyd is survived by his parents retired Colonel Lloyd J. Skidmore, Jr. and Cynthia Brown Skidmore of Raleigh; two sisters, Susan Skidmore of Raleigh and Cissy S. Bowdenstine and her husband, Tom Bowdenstine, M.D. of Raleigh; two nephews, Bo and Hugh Bowdenstine; niece, Annie Bowdenstine; great niece Natalie.
Memorial services will be held 2 p.m. Friday at the First Presbyterian Church. The family will receive friends following the service in the church parlor.
Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 120 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 or the Wake Count Public Library, 4020 Carya Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610.
Tributes may be sent to www.brownwynne.com