Billy Wayne Skinner's Obituary
Billy Wayne Skinner
Billy Wayne Skinner was born on October 11, 1933, in Houston, TX to George Pierce and Virgie Griffin Skinner. He was a 1952 graduate of Reagan High School, 1965 graduate of East Texas Baptist College, later known as ETBU, and in 1969, graduated from the Baptist Theological Seminary. Billy was a dedicated minister of the gospel.
Licensed to preach in 1961, he served churches throughout Texas and beyond in a ministry that spanned 52 years. His pastorates included First Baptist Church, Clayton, TX; Douglasville Baptist Church, Douglasville, TX; Temple Baptist Church, Gainesville, TX; Market Street Baptist, later known as Upper Room Christian Fellowship, Boardman, OH; and Crossroads Methodist Church, Crossroads, TX.
He served as pastor to ministers across the US as an Elder in the Association of Evangelical Churches in the 1990’s, and also as mission director for Temple Oaks Baptist Church.
Married to Eva Louise Inman Skinner for 57 years, Billy was a devoted husband, a wonderful father to three children and a doting grandfather to seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
He served his country from 1955 to 1957 as an artillery man in the U. S. Army.
Billy was a devout Christian man and a loyal servant to the gospel of Jesus Christ his whole life. The one desire of his life was to have a closer and deeper walk with his Father God and love for his Savior. Billy died July 25, 2015 after a short illness.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Eva Skinner; his children, Cyndy Reagan, Chuck Skinner and wife Cass, and Michael Skinner; his grandchildren, Faith Morin, Tucker Reagan, Taylor Lybrand, Andrew Skinner, Conner Skinner and John Skinner; and his great grandchildren, Addison Lybrand, Kayley Skinner-Smith, Case Lybrand, Lucas Morin, and Tucker Greanead; and his sister, Geraldine Leaton of Houston.
He was preceded in death by his grandson, Tyson Reagan and great granddaughter, Tamara Skinner-Smith.
Celebration of Life will be held Monday, July 27, 2015, at 11:00 am at the First United Methodist Church of Hallsville with the Reverends Shinia Kelsey and Brian Brooks officiating. Burial will follow in Athens Church Cemetery under the direction of Rader Funeral Home of Longview. Visitation will be from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. prior to services at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: the Tyson Reagan Memorial Scholarship Fund, 5100 Sweetbriar Lane, #1007, Tyler, TX 75703; The American Bible Society, 1865 Broadway, New York, NY 10023-7505; or The Multiple Myeloma Support Group, c/o Mille Denton, 3206 CR 317, Tyler, TX 75706
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