Memories of Joseph Harold Skinner

In memory of

Joseph Harold Skinner

Grand Junction, CO, USA

March 25, 1948 - June 10, 2019

Mar 25, 1948 - Jun 10, 2019

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Edith Propst

2018, Florida, USA

Edith Propst

2018, Florida, USA

Joe & Linda, Wilson & Edith

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Edith Propst

I didn't see this memorial page two years ago, but on the anniversary of Joe's passing today I feel compelled to express our continual grief over losing our good friend and next door neighbor.

Joe was the most avid fisherman I have ever known as well as a devoted husband and father to his amazing wife and kids. The meals he lovingly and expertly prepared and served to friends were always out of this world. His laugh was boisterous! The accolades for this man could go on forever. We shared so many good times together over more than 40 years that I still cannot fathom that there will be no more memories to make with him in our future.

Our adventures with Joe and Linda began on the famous "Stinky Cave" Gunnison River trip and then they included trips to Lake Powell and the weekly volleyball games in our front-yard park which expanded into city competition as The Lomanians! And even after we moved away from Grand Junction the Skinners made their way to visit us in North Carolina, the beach in South Carolina, and in recent years a get-together in Florida. My husband, Wilson, and I are grateful to have the memories of Joe in our hearts and we are also grateful to see how Linda is so lovingly embraced by Amber, Jessie and Toby as they continue to bring more grandchildren into her life!

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$600.00

Raised by 6 people

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Mike and Becky Williams

Amber Skinner-Jozefson

Mike and Becky Williams

For those who do not know me, my Dad and Joe’s Mom were brother and sister. Both Joe and I were only children, so that makes Joe and I the only cousins on the Williams’ side of the family.
Because of the shock and sorrow of the passing of Joe, it has taken me awhile to even get my thoughts together and be able to express them in an honorable and admiring way.
Joe and I became so close in recent years. We so enjoyed our talks and stories about family, our children, life in general hunts and fishing trips, outdoor experiences , fishing techniques and of cours politics and the State of the Union. Our phone calls would be with the idea to just touch base with each other and an hour later, we were still talking. I will greatly miss his wisdom, voice and laughter!
I asked Joe on occasion for his options and advice and he always gave me an honest and knowledgeable answer. O respected his intelligence and wise counsel.
The picture of Joe and I holding the deer horns is symbolic of many great memories. Our grandfather, Joe Williams, taught us many lessons about deer hunting. Grandpa shot this buck at age 82 , south of Stamford, Nebraska on one of his pieces of land, a mile away from where he was born in a sod house. After grandpa passed away, Joe inherited this piece of land. Notice the sign next to Joe and me. “make Every Day an Adventure” is how Joe lived his life.
Joe called me last winter and asked me to proof read his book about his favorite place - the Gunnison. I started reading and could not put it down. Many phone calls were made discussing his adventures and mine on the plains of Nebraska. Joe’s philosophy about the beauty of the experience being in the outdoors shines through with every story.
Joe and I lived many miles apart and didn’t,t get to share a lot of time together in the great outdoors, but after reading his book, it felt as if we had been together on every adventure.
We could all learn a lot from Joe and how he lived his life. He was a devoted husband, father and cherished friend to so many. As you can tell by reading my tribute, I definitely was blessed his friendship! Mike Williams.

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Amber Skinner-Jozefson

Edith Propst

MAHESH SHARMA

Mahesh Sharma
Mahesh Sharma Lost a friend , a hoast, a relative and above all a human. The void created by Joe is unimaginable and un believable.We were planning a holiday with him and Linda on the lines of our last visit to Grand Junction in April 2017. His last communication with me was at 2056 hrs. on 9th June 2019 through mail where in he thanked us for good wishes on Joe/Linda's 50th wedding anniversary. He wanted and desired as per his last words to me "we hope the kids( Jessica/Himanshu) will get a bigger place to enable us to meet and join together like in Grand Junction " We were un aware that God will summon him to be one of His Angles and he will not be any more visible to earthly eyes. Sharma's(Mahesh/Supriya)

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Amber Skinner-Jozefson

Edith Propst

MAHESH SHARMA

2013, Faridabad, Haryana, India

At one of the pre- marriage events of Himanshu and Jessica in India. The parents (fathers) of bride and groome resoectively cheering on coffee cups.

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Amber Skinner-Jozefson

Edith Propst

Corky Hicks

Oh boy, where do I even start.

Nearly 40 years ago I met Joe and Linda. They welcomed me as they had the rest of my family right away and soon we were playing volleyball in the park on Hilllcrest every week. Competition at its finest with Joe setting the strategy for winning each time we formed teams. Nothing like a full blown Aries in action.

Over the years we spent the seasons searching for and planning for the next place to hunt Deer or Elk in the fall into winter or discussing where to find fishing at its best once the weather turned promising.

Bull Basin, Horsefly, the Grand Mesa, the Bookcliffs and the Battlements hit the mark many times for hunting. The Gunnison River Gorge became the prized mark for fishing Trout starting in the 80’s. In more recent years he became involved in fishing for Bass and loved the challenge but the Gunnison was where his true interest was. He would tell stories of how each trip had its own challenge and I am so thankful that I could be a part of several of those trips. Joe spent years working on writing a book about that section of the Gunnison River. I only wish he could have seen it published.

Too many things to speak about from Amber, Jessica and Toby joining the team to round it all out that made Joe happy.

Joe ( and Linda ) have been such good friends for so many years and I am truly thankful to have had the opportunity to be close to someone so giving and considerate as them.

God bless you Crinner and I am so sorry I won’t be there to see you off but I will see you later.

Corky

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Amber Skinner-Jozefson

Edith Propst

Jane Miller

Craig I are just so sorry for your loss. I am glad you made your Amazon trip last year as well as shared many of those great fishing trips which have been saved in The Magic River. I will not get back in time for services, but my thoughts will be with you!

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Amber Skinner-Jozefson

Edith Propst

Craig and Joanna Little

We were so sorry to hear of Joe’s passing. He was a friend but also our attorney when we adopted our daughter. We appreciated him. Such a loss to your family and the community. Our love to all of you.

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Amber Skinner-Jozefson

Edith Propst

Carol Stott

Joe married my sister, Linda, 50 years ago. They were nice enough to let me be in their wedding, even though I was still a little girl. For their honeymoon, they camped all around Colorado....while camping they came down to the Sand Dunes and spent a night camping with my girl scout troop. Now, is that just plain craziness or what??? I guess he really loved Linda because I'm sure Joe had to have felt overwhelmed by all that young, wild female attention and interaction.

Later, when they lived in Boulder while Joe was in law school, I remember coming up to spend weekend nights, drinking beers and playing Canasta and rummy with Joe. We could never remember the rules for Canasta -- thank God for the Encyclopedia Brittanica! Those were some good, relaxing times....lots of fun in the Skinner basement!

Watching him become a father, with his three wonderful children, was definitely a highlight. It just always seemed like he was filled with joy and pride in his children and family -- for good reason. They are a remarkable crew!

And, of course we will miss Joe at all the Stott-Skinner Thanksgiving dinners -- he was our main chef! It just won't feel the same without him there in the kitchen, minding all the pots and the oven. We'll have to drink a toast to remember him each year.

Happy fishing up in that big, wide universe, Joe. Thanks for all the pointers about how to live a better, more thoughtful life. I haven't taken up Tai Chi yet, but I will when (if) I retire. You are and will be missed every day. Your annoying sister-in-law, Carol

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Amber Skinner-Jozefson

Edith Propst

Fumi Aoki

I met Joe for the first time in the Summer of 2007 when I was an international student from Japan to study English at Colorado Mesa University. Joe and Linda were very generous to let me to stay at their house for about 4-5 years while I finished my studies, then working for the local charter school as a teacher’s assistant. Without him, I would not be able to graduate school, meet the wonderful people in Grand Junction, and have a once in a lifetime experience in the United States. There are no words to ease this deep sadness for this loss. Any words cannot be good enough to express my gratitude towards him.

I miss you, Joe.

I remember you wore a blue shirt with some colorful tropical fish illustration on it the first day I met you. In the same year, for Linda’s birthday, we went to the soup kitchen to serve a meal. Instead of going to the fancy restaurant to celebrate her birthday, I saw you and Linda were helping others. I immediately realized that you and Linda are very different kind of people that I had never met before and how lucky I was to meet you.

We went to the morning yoga class at the school gym regularly even though we were still half asleep. As we got back home from yoga class, we listened to the KAFM radio and Linda’s word program made with the local children. I liked your garden and fresh vegetables. I loved being your sous-chef and preparing a salad with your vegetables. You told me to check if the spaghetti is Al dente by throwing it against the wall to see if it sticks to it. Do you remember we said both the English “Rub a dub dub thanks for the grub” and Japanese “ Itadakimasu” before we ate a meal? I know how to check the engine oil by myself because you told me how to see the oil on the stick. I think very few Japanese girls can do that. You have to teach me again about your irrigation system in the garden but I still remember, “ righty tightly lefty loosey,” right? I have with me the book you gave me for Christmas 2011. It is very important for me. The list of memories with you is endless, from the big trip to Mexico to the small episodes of everyday life.

I want to hear your voice again and I want to say thank you to you, Joe.

I became who I am now because of your encouragement, kindness, knowledge, intelligence, sense of humor,, and love. You helped me to believe in myself and be compassionate to others. I hope you would be proud of me if you see me helping students from the United States to stay and have an internship at my work place in Japan. I always think about how you helped me during my stay in the United States and I imagine what you would do to help these students to be successful in a foreign country. You believed in me as a strong Colorado girl and to be able to be a global citizen. You gave me advice to be strong and keep open eyes on the international standards if I feel lost in myself with my own traditional customs.

You told me the key word in case I face an obstacle in life, “define a problem first.” You were always there for me and guided me to solve a problem by myself. You called me a “good daughter . ” My Japanese parents would be surprised to hear I’ve been so good to deserve to be called like that so I keep it as a little innocent secret between us. I hope you are ok about that.
My mother really enjoyed meeting you and Linda when she visited Grand Junction and my father loves your handmade fishing fry, “Augie’s fry.” They greatly appreciate the chance to get to know you and appreciate you treating me as a part of your family.

On the last day at the house before I left to return to Japan, I asked Joe how I can thank him and return all that he had done for me. And Joe said.

“Pass the kindness onto others and do the same if there are others in need.”

I will keep these words in my mind forever and act on them in honor of his memory.

My sincere condolences.

Your good daughter

Fumi

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Amber Skinner-Jozefson

Edith Propst

Comments:

Esmeralda Rostel

Oh Fumi sorry for your loss. You are a great person and i thank Joe and Linda for opening their doors to ... Read more Oh Fumi sorry for your loss. You are a great person and i thank Joe and Linda for opening their doors to you. My condolences to... Read more Oh Fumi sorry for your loss. You are a great person... Read more

Ed Nugent

Amber and Jessica, please share this with Toby and Linda. How I wish I could be there tomorrow. I will be in spirit. If I could, I would read this. It is my way of attempting to understand the loss which affects you each so much more than I.

Okay, what can you say about a person that you’ve shared almost half a century with? That story is way too long to tell, and to be honest, one I hoped never to tell, but here we are. This has been a week of memories, fragments most. Not surprisingly, one of the firsts, fishing trips to Gross Reservoir and the South Platte, harbingers of so many others to come. How many unforgettable days started in the predawn at the Skinner driveway on Hilltop?

It was Joe that was my guide to the Gunnison River in all its incarnations, especially it’s Black Canyon, hiking, wading, rafting. The pleasure he got when I discovered a number ten Hopper, a grass bank, and a voracious Brown. That river and canyon was Joe’s soul.

Then there are the days when we were opponents, each of us unwilling to give an inch, trying to anticipate where to expect the surprise from the other. It was a battle of the best kind. No quarter was ever sought or ever granted. Yet, our friendship endured. Joe came to me in one of my most desperate hours, and we worked together as law partners and friends.

Then there all those times searching for the elusive ungulate. The blue Scout, chains on all four wheels turned at an angle to gain purchase on bottomless ruts and bottomless mud on Grand Mesa. So many days and nights on Horsefly Mesa, Toby, Sam what glorious times. You remember those. Toby on a stormy, cold night when we retreated to a motel in Montrose you made us watch Jackass. I’ve never laughed so much.

Then there were the Lake Powell days, remember Amber and Jessica, the sheer joy of rock, sun, and water. Oh yeah, how could I forget, and fishing?

Joe was a true gourmand who loved good food and how to cook it. His refined tastes where reflected so often in the places he chose to dine—Starvin’ Arvins in Montrose. KFC in Delta, oh and of course, Wendy’s/

Joe was the philosopher and theologian searching for the meaning in life that eludes all who seek it and ask the difficult questions.

Most of all Joe was someone who could get under my skin, challenge me when I didn’t want to be challenged, and loved me as much as any friend is able. Of all the memories, it is those blue eyes that could see what was invisible to me, that smile that started slowly then took over his face, and that laugh.

I will miss you mi amigo.

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Amber Skinner-Jozefson

Bruce Kaye

2016, Chukar Trailhead

Heading for the Gunnison Gorge and the Stonefly Hatch

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Amber Skinner-Jozefson

Mike Stott

My absolute favorite memory of Uncle Joe is last year at Lake Powell. Uncle Joe has always taken such a genuine interest in our family and our boys. At Lake Powell he is able to share his love of fishing with our boys, and indulge myself and Jen in our love of eating fish. He and Mathew spent HOURS on the lake fishing, and very successfully might I add. Mathew loved catching all the fish and Uncle Joe would get the biggest kick out of Mathew’s excitement. Then came the hard part... Uncle Joe knew how bad me and Jen wanted to eat the fish, so he made Mathew do all the “dirty” work with the fish, gutting, skinning, cleaning, all the fun stuff. Mathew sat there and gagged his whole way through it, with Uncle Joe making sure he did every little bit of it himself. 😂. Mathew at one point even threw one of the fish back in on accident after being so freaked out. Uncle Joe then proceeded to prepare and cook all fish for us simply so that me and Jen could enjoy the fresh fish. I am not a fisherman, I have never been one, but my kids love it, and I don’t know how to teach them. Uncle Joe has taught my boys things I could not offer them, and it’s not just how to fish. He’s taught them patience, he’s taught them that there are costs to do the things they enjoy, and he taught them that even though some things may be tough to do, they are what’s required for the end results. Uncle Joe has left a void in this world, and hopefully through his influence and his kindness, the rest of us can help fill that void.

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