Obituary: Clifford A. Skinner, Jr

Clifford A. Skinner, Jr, 93, died peacefully on Saturday, March 21st, 2020 in Sunnyvale, California. Cliff was born to Clifford and Helen (Jones) Skinner in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Cliff was drafted into the US Navy in the waning days of World War II. He received a fleet appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and graduated fourth in his class in 1950. Cliff later received his M.S. degree in Engineering Electronics from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey, California.

While visiting Washington D.C., Cliff met and fell in love with a wonderful Minnesota “farm girl”, Elaine Olson. They were married in Norfolk, Virginia in 1951, and had a wonderful life and marriage until Elaine’s passing in 2018.

Cliff’s early naval career was as Gunnery Officer, Division Officer and First Lieutenant on navy destroyers. While on the USS Anderson, his ship provided shore bombardment against military targets during the Korean War. The remainder of Cliff’s 30+ year naval career was in spent in such areas as program management, ship building, ship modernization, missile / armament systems, propulsion (to include nuclear), navigation and communication systems. He worked with both U.S. Navy and private shipyards, often supervising both military and civilian staff. As Production Officer at the U.S. Naval Shipyard at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Cliff oversaw a largely civilian workforce of 3,800. Cliff retired from the navy in 1975 having attained the rank of Captain. A continuous thread in his naval career was service to the destroyer fleet, particularly the guided missile frigates. He was awarded a Meritorious Service medal in 1970 for having reduced program operating costs by over $15 M.

Upon retirement from the Navy, Cliff worked for SEACOR in Hawaii and San Diego, establishing a West Coast presence for this Cherry Hill, New Jersey firm. He left SEACOR in 1980 and joined Integrated Systems Analysts, Inc. (ISA), again establishing the West Coast operations of that company, subsequently shuttling between San Diego and Washington, DC as Executive Vice President for Operations. He retired from ISA in 1990 and returned to Hawaii in 1994.

Cliff and Elaine raised three wonderful children: Clifford “Kip” Skinner, III, Carolyn Alicia Skinner and Cathryn “Katie” Alison Skinner (Wiederholt). Prior to Cliff’s retirement from the Navy, the family lived in San Diego, Guam, San Francisco, Maryland and Honolulu, Hawaii. Cliff and Elaine’s enthusiasm for life and travel made each move an “adventure” and positive experience for their children.

After Cliff’s retirement from the workforce, the Skinners made their home in Coronado, California, before moving back to Honolulu in 1994. Cliff and Elaine eventually moved to Sunnyvale, California (near San Francisco) in 2014.

Cliff was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. Family was extremely important to him. Those who knew Cliff best will remember his great sense of humor, kindness, intelligence, energy and curiosity for life. These same attributes will live on in the lives of his children.

Cliff will be missed and fondly remembered by children Kip and Katie, grandchildren Lauren Skinner, Max Wiederholt, Ben Wiederholt and Haley Skinner and a host of devoted nieces, nephew, cousins and friends.

Preceding him in death were: his parents, three sisters Willah (Weddon), Kathleen (Petto) and Alice (Lammon), wife Elaine and daughter Carolyn.

Cliff’s family will be celebrating his life on several occasions in the months to come.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in is memory can be made to Shell Lake Immanuel Lutheran Church, c/o Norma Grotnes, 24218 East Island Lake Road, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501. Cusimano Family Colonial Mortuary