Dateline: February 28, 2008

Troy Dean Skinner, 78, died Tuesday, February 19, 2008, in Amarillo.

Services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, February 22, 2008, in the First Nazarene Church in Amarillo with Rev. Carol Hartsfield, Associate Pastor, officiating. Burial was at Llano Cemetery in Amarillo. Services were under the arrangement of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.

Troy was born on February 11, 1930, in Carlsbad, NM, to George T. and Alice Ida Wolford Skinner. He married Geraldine Edith “Gerry” Hawks on September 28, 1956, in Fort Sumner, NM. He was a salesman and an entrepreneur in the saddlery and tack industry. He founded and owned Skinner Boot Company for many years and had hand-made boots for several well known celebrities. He also founded Texas Horse Pads in Quitaque and started Texas Saddlery Company of Amarillo and Clarendon. He was a resident of Amarillo before moving to Clarendon in the mid 1970s. He loved being a private pilot and aircraft owner and built and flew many experimental aircraft, including gyrocopters, and ultra lights. He was a long time member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Assn. as well as the Experimental Aircraft Assn. He also loved to ride his motorcycle.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Scott, in 1972; and two sisters, Darlene Brown and Patsy Jo Skinner.

Survivors include his wife, Gerry, of Clarendon; two sons, Walt Skinner and wife Kathy of Amarillo, and Sam Skinner and wife Jean of McKinney; a daughter, Dr. Becky Monroe and husband Dee of Kingwood; a brother, Gary Skinner and wife Sandra of Lake Tanglewood; nine grandchildren; and 14 great grandchildren.

The family request memorials be to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch or the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 364, Clarendon, Texas 79226.

Sign our online guestbook at www.RobertsonFuneral.com.