Joe Frank Skillington

Mr. Joe Frank Skillington, 80, retired from Union Carbide Corporation and well-known farmer and resident of Snow Creek Road in the Santa Fe Community, died Friday, September 29, 2006 at Maury Regional Hospital. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at Oakes & Nichols with Rev. James Gardner and Rev. David McGregor officiating. Burial will be in Santa Fe Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Monday from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Santa Fe Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 2630 Santa Fe Pike, Santa Fe 38482 or Santa Fe Cemetery Association, c/o Norman Harris, 3929 Sowell Hollow Road, Columbia 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to www.oakesandnichols.com. Born and reared in the Santa Fe Community in Maury County, he was the son of the late Charlie Skillington and Minnie Lois Woody Skillington. He attended Santa Fe School and was a graduate of Auctioneer's School in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mr. Skillington was a life-long member and served as Elder of Santa Fe Cumberland Presbyterian Church from 1958 to 2004. He spent a life-time farming, breeding, and training mules and horses. pulling events are known today as a "Mule Pulling." Mr. Skillington's claim to fame was in 1950 when he drove a twenty mule team with a "single line" in the Mule Day Parade. He was active in the affairs of the Maury County Bridle & Saddle Club for many years and was instrumental in the re-activation of Mule Day in 1974. He always had his team and wagon in the parade, and served as co-chairman of the Draft Mule Show. He delighted in taking part in the parade and was honored to be selected to provide and drive the wagon for the Grand Marshall of the Parade. He was a member of the Maury County Park Board of Directors and an inductee in the Mule Day Hall of Fame. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Lorene Fox Skillington of Santa Fe; a daughter, Peggy Jo Skillington of Santa Fe; three sisters, Ruth Skillington of Santa Fe, Ann Skillington of Columbia, and Faye Bohannon of Bayou Vista, Texas; three brothers, John Robert Skillington of Santa Fe, Dewey Skillington of Columbia, and David Skillington of Santa Fe. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Don Jeffrey Skillington and a sister, Rachel Fraser. Active pallbearers are Terry Skillington, Gerry Skillington, Ricky Skillington, Keith Baker, Winfred Baker, Danny Fox, Jimmy Humphrey, Dean Sewell, and David Sewell. Honorary pallbearers include Thomas N. Gordon, Richard Groce, Ralph Mims, Harry Witlow, Emory Combs, Fred Flippin, Buddy Black, John William Pigg, Jeff Foster, Jack Butler, Larry Tarkington, Larry Fox, Dr. Thomas Farmer, Dr. James Kelley, Gerald Adkison, Sheriff Enoch George, men of Santa Fe Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Union Carbide Corporation retirees, Maury County Bridle & Saddle Club and Mule Day Committee, Maury County Park Board of Directors, and caregivers at NHC Columbia.