Sen. Sherrill N. "Pete" Skinner

Sen. Sherrill N. Skinner LAKE CITY - Sen. Sherrill N. "Pete" Skinner, 62, died Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005, at the V.A. Medical Center. The service will be at 4 p.m. EST Monday at St. James Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Jeff Robinson officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. EST Sunday at Guerry Funeral Home in Lake City (386-752-2414). In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. James Episcopal Church Building Fund, 581 S.W. Malone St., Lake City, FL 32025, or to a favorite charity. Mr. Skinner was a native of McAlpin, having resided in Suwannee and Columbia counties for his entire life. He was a member of St. James Episcopal Church in Lake City. He had received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Florida and a master's degree in history from Valdosta State University. Skinner served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, was in the Peace Corps in India, where he was awarded the National Service Award, and was a foreign-service officer, working throughout the Caribbean, all of which gave him perspectives that allowed him to make the differences he made. Skinner served the people of Florida as a state representative and Florida senator during the '70s and '80s. He was a master at constituent care, one of the most important aspects of legislative office. Survivors include his wife, Ann Douglass Skinner of Lake City; his mother, Ozell Hatch (and husband Leslie) of Suwannee; three sons, Christopher Skinner (and wife Melissa) of Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, Jason Skinner (and wife Kelly) of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Ben Douglass of Lake City; three sisters, Reba Shaw (and husband Jackie) of Suwannee, Averial Hodges of Kennesaw, Ga., and Marylyn Montgomery (and husband Don) of Lake City; and three grandchildren, Isabella Gayle Skinner, Lelan Amber Skinner and James Tucker Skinner.