William John Skillman Jr

William John Skillman, JR., USMC, RET Middletown, RI - William John Skillman, Jr., USMC, ret., 83, of 191 Forest Avenue, Middletown, RI, formerly of Oakland Farms, Portsmouth, CT and AZ, died Monday, May 19, 2008 at the Grand Islander Health Care Center, Middletown, RI. He was the husband of Hester Jordan Skillman and the late Anne M. Martin Skillman. Born in Newark, NJ, on October 9, 1924, he was the son of the late William J. and Julia Cook Skillman.Mr. Skillman had worked as a department head for Sikorski Aircraft in the product support department for 25 years, retiring in 1986. He was a Veteran of the US Marine Corp, serving during WWII and Korea. He was a member of the Marine Corp League and the Fleet Reserve. Mr. Skillman had also worked as a dossier for the Newport Preservation Society. He was an avid fisherman, reader, and enjoyed traveling and music. He was also an avid history and Civil War historian. Mr. Skillman also enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Besides his wife, he is survived by a daughter Patricia S. Massarotti and her husband Robert of Portsmouth, RI, a son Neil L. Skillman and his wife Melody of Tryon, NC, a brother Charles Skillman of Costa Mesa, CA, two sisters Diana Clouse of Wantage, NJ, and Linda Oksen of Pine Beach, NJ, six grandchildren Brian A. Massarotti and his wife Kristel, Bruce A. Massarotti, Jon L. Skillman and his wife Andrea, Courtney S. Dozier and her husband Nick, Shawn M. Skillman and his wife Erin, and Sunny M. Bush, and two great grandchildren Halie Lyn Massarotti and Kyndra C. Dozier, and three step children Tony Mastrocinque and his wife Debbie of Portsmouth, RI, Joanne Connolly and her friend Harold Foote of Bedford, NH, and Frank Jordan and his wife Jeanette of Orrington, ME.His funeral will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2008, 10:00 am in Connors Funeral Home, 55 West Main Road, Portsmouth.Burial will be in Trinity Cemetery in Portsmouth.Calling hours will be held Friday, May 23, 2008, from 4-7pm in the Connors Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made to Make A Wish Foundation, 757 Park Avenue, Cranston, RI 02910, or to the Mount Gilead Bible Conference Inc., 13485 Green Valley Road, Sebastopol, CA, 95472.