Harold Leon Skerritt

Harold Skerritt, 87, of Glenwood, IA, formerly of Malvern, IA, passed away at the Glen Haven Home in Glenwood on Monday, April 24, 2017.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at the Silver City United Methodist Church in Silver City. Burial with military honors will be in the Silver City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 28, 2017 at the Loess Hills Funeral Home in Glenwood.

Memorials:
Silver City United Methodist Church
Mills County Fair Association - Charles E. Lakin Community Center

Harold Leon Skerritt, one of two children of John Glenn and Phyllis Florence Bernice (Burgoin) Skerritt, was born on March 2, 1930, in rural Malvern, Iowa where he grew up on the farm and attended Osborne Valley country school and later Silver City High School graduating with the Class of 1946. He started faming after high school, for a couple of years, as his father had died in January 1946 and he stayed at home to help his mother with the farm. He later attended Iowa State College and completed 2 years of study in Animal Husbandry, before returning full time to the farm. Shortly after his return to the farm from Iowa State, he was inducted into the US Army and was ultimately assigned to the Airborne Rigger Training (Quartermaster) School in Virginia as an Instructor, serving from 1951-1953.

Harold was a grain and livestock farmer, when he began farming on his own in 1954, after his time in the service. The land he was on was in its third generation in the same family and the farm became a Century Farm under his tenure. Harold continued onward with his livestock, even after his retirement from grain farming in 1995. He did still own a small herd of beef cows at the time of his death. Something he always said was his goal and privilege to do. He also was very active in the Mills County 4-H program, while he was able, in many capacities over the years, both as a participant and in leadership and mentoring roles. He was the program leader of the Ingraham Straight Shooters 4-H club for over 20 years, and also was a charter member of that Ingraham Township club.

Harold and Marilyn Jean Mintle were married on March 4, 1956, in Glenwood, Iowa. Their marriage was blessed with two children, John Karl and Ann Lynette. Marilyn passed away in May 1976.

Harold went on to marry Rhodonna (Donna) Lee Kooker in August of 1979, in Silver City, Iowa. Donna had two school aged children, Kimberly and Brian Kooker, who came to live on the farm. Donna moved away from the farm in 1986 and the couple eventually divorced. In the year 2000, Harold moved from the farm to live in Glenwood, Iowa.

Harold and Madonna (Donna) Jeanne (Hartman) Beck were married on June 10, 2001, in Omaha, Nebraska. Harold's family grew once again to include Donna's six adult children, Romie, Roxanne, Randy, Renee, Rhonda, and Rachelle. Madonna passed away in March 2015.

Harold passed away, peacefully, on April 24, 2017 at the Glen Haven Home in Glenwood, Iowa at the age of 87 years, 1 month, and 22 days. In addition to his first wife and third wife, Harold was also preceded in death by his parents and older brother Roger Eugene Skerritt, who died in infancy in 1927.

Harold is survived by his double first cousin, Margarite Goodenow of Council Bluffs, Iowa; children, John Skerritt and wife, Pamela Hawhee of Ames, Iowa and Ann Schoening and husband, Gene Schoening of Silver City, Iowa; stepchildren, Kimberly Kooker, Brian Kooker, Romie Beck, Roxanne Boverhuis, Randy Beck, Renee May, Rhonda Bloom, Rachelle Gronemyer; and other cousins, relatives and circle of friends.