John Robert Skillington

John Robert Skillington, 90, farmer and resident of Santa Fe, passed away Thursday, February 3, 2011 at Maury Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 P.M. Sunday at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Rev. Sherry Ladd and Rev. David McGregor officiating. Burial will follow in Santa Fe Cemetery with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends Saturday from 1:00 P. M. - 6:00 P.M. and Sunday after 12:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Santa Fe Cemetery, c/o Norman Harris, 3929 Sowell Hollow Road, Columbia, TN 38401 or Santa Fe Cumberland Presbyterian Church, c/o Mattie Beth Pigg, 126 North Laurel Circle, Columbia, TN 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com. The Maury County native was the son of the late Charlie Skillington and Mittie Lois Woody Skillington. He was a graduate of Santa Fe High School. A World War II Army veteran, he served in the 738th Tank Battalion Special, Headquarters Company, in Europe during the final days of the war. During training he went to Bouse, Arizona for special training on a secret defense operation that was never mentioned among the men until they started having a reunion in 1990. He returned home in August 1945 and was preparing to leave for the Pacific Zone and received his discharge in November 1945. Mr. Skillington was instrumental in reviving the Mule Day celebration after World War II. He, along with his brother, Joe Frank Skillington and his father Charlie Skillington, convinced the Columbia Chamber of Commerce to re-establish the festival in 1947. He was very active in the Mule Day festivities and had directed the Draft Mule Show since 1974. He was named Mule Day Grand Marshall in 2005. He traveled the country to judge mule competitions and raised, bred, and trained mules his entire life. In 1976, Mr. Skillington rode the Bicentennial Wagon Train throughout the state of Tennessee, returned home to farm, and joined it again the last week to ride into Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to celebrate the birth of our country. Mr. Skillington was a member of Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19 and the Maury County Bridle and Saddle Club. He had sat on the boards of Maury County Farm Bureau and Maury Farmers Co-op. He was a member of Santa Fe Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Survivors include three sisters, Mrs. Fay Bohannon of Bayou Vista, Texas; Miss Ann Skillington of Columbia; Miss Ruth Skillington of Santa Fe; two brothers, Dewey Skillington of Columbia; David Skillington of Santa Fe; sister-in-law, Lorene Skillington of Santa Fe; special friend and companion, Glenda Bowman; three nieces, Peggy Skillington, Leigh Skillington, Jan Carmichael; three nephews, Ricky Skillington, Gerry Skillington, Terry Skillington; two great nieces; one great great niece; and two great great nephews. He was preceded in death by one sister, Rachel Fraser and one brother, Joe Frank Skillington.Pallbearers will be Ricky Skillington, Gerry Skillington, Terry Skillington, Charles Pigg, Charlie Skillington, James Skillington, Cole Carmichael, and George Woody. Honorary pallbearers will be past board members of Maury County Farm Bureau and Maury Farmers Co-op, members of the Mule Day Committee, past members of the Farm Services Committee, Will Frank Woody, Sr., John William Pigg, Bud Meachum, Earl Moore, Jr., Pete Harlan, Buddy Black, Harry Whitlow, C. B. White, Gail Pigg, Will Frank Woody, Jr., Daryl Brown, Jerry Erwin, and Charlie Reed.