Obituary for Wanda Skelton

Wanda Lee Skelton

April 23, 1926 – January 17, 2021

Wanda Lee Carriger Skelton, 94, of Blackwell, Oklahoma, died Sunday, January 17, 2021, at the Hillcrest Manor Nursing Home in Blackwell. Services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 22, 2021 at the First Christian Church in Blackwell. Burial will follow in Blackwell Cemetery.

Wanda was born April 23, 1926, on a farm southeast of Braman, Oklahoma. Wanda was the youngest of eight children born to Tennessee “TC” and Edna Pearl McGuckin Carriger.

Wanda lived in various places in Oklahoma and developed her strong work ethic as a little girl of meager means who delivered water on horseback to field workers. She worked for farmers’ wives babysitting and performing household duties. Wanda worked her way through high school working for Kasl-Hutton Drug Store graduating in 1945 from Blackwell High School. While working there, she met the love of her life, Edgar Skelton, and they married on January 10, 1946, in Coffeyville, KS. To this union were born two daughters, Sharon Kay born on Christmas day of 1946, and Carol Ann in August of 1948. Wanda was a homemaker until the girls were older and then went to work for her husband at Skelton Welding in 1963. They worked together until they both retired. Mrs. Skelton continued mowing her own yard and gardening at age 85.

Wanda was a leader in PTA and Bluebirds. Her love of Christ was evident by her devoted leadership in the First Christian Church of Blackwell. Mr. and Mrs. Skelton were active as youth leaders and Wanda helped in the kitchen working funeral dinners and many Wednesday night meals. Wanda loved to cook and entertain in her home. She shared her faith as a deaconess and through hosting many Bible Studies in their home and serving numerous meals to others in their time of need.

After retirement, Ed and Wanda spent their winters in Texas and later in Arizona where they made many friends across the United States. Ed stayed busy in his woodworking shop so Wanda took a job as a security guard next to their trailer park in Arizona. Wanda never met a stranger and anyone and everyone was always welcomed at her dinner table.

Wanda was preceded in death by her husband of almost 60 years, Edgar Skelton; her youngest daughter Carol Ann Nicholson; parents TC and Edna Pearl Carriger; her siblings Evelyn “Sade” Winiger, Harold “Mike” Carriger, Melvin “Mut” Carriger, Albert “Deak” Carriger, Floyd “Walt” Carriger, and half brothers Claud Carriger and Orville Carriger; and grandson Tim Stafford.

Wanda is survived by her daughter Sharon Mann (Jimmy) of Blackwell, grandchildren Darin Mann (Darla) of Ark City, KS, Misti Stafford Lipps (Chuck) of Fairview, OK, Derrick McKaig of Independence, MO. Wanda was the beloved great grandmother of Darci Utt (Adam), Daric Mann (Shayna) of Ark City, KS, Jarin Stafford (Kalea) of Enid, KayDee Judd (Trey) of Ponca City, OK, Dalyn Lipps (Jennifer) of South Carolina, Dylan Lipps of Stillwater, OK, and Keegan McKaig of Kansas City. She also has 10 great-great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations are requested in lieu of flowers to the First Christian Church of Blackwell, in ℅ Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 W. Padon, Blackwell, OK 74631.