Obituary - Rose Penton Skinner
May 21, 1921 – April 15, 2012
April 30, 2012
On May 21, 1921, Rose was the first non-Indian child born in Pavillion, Wyo., near Riverton, to Nicholas L. and Jessie Penton, local ranchers with a small coal mine. With no ranch school available, the family moved to a farm near Forestburg, Texas, in 1927, but continued to spend most summers on a Wyoming ranch. Rose graduated as valedictorian from Texas elementary and high schools and from a two-year college with a degree in business.
In 1943 the family moved to Pinedale, Wyo., for a few months before settling in Phoenix, Ariz., where Rose worked as "Rosie the Riveter" at a Goodyear aircraft plant during World War II.
Rose and Bartley Skinner, Jr., were married June 1, 1946, and honeymooned in Pinedale. They operated Southwest Ceramic Tile Contractors and rental apartments in Phoenix for many years. Although they spent most winters in Arizona or California, they relocated to Pinedale in 1967 where they developed and operated Fort William Recreation Area – a rural dinner steakhouse and eight-room bed and breakfast inn until they sold it to Mike Ryan in 1988, retired and moved permanently into town. Fort William was named for a fort established in 1834 on Laramee’s Fork by Bartley’s great uncle William Marshall Anderson, William Sublette and William Patton.
Rose served 16 years on Pinedale’s Town Council – 1990 to 2006 – the last 10 years as mayor. She was a life member and a past president of Sage and Snow Garden Club. Always civic minded, in Arizona and Wyoming she served on many local, state and national boards and committees.
Rose, 90, died on April 15, 2012, while visiting Phoenix following three years in hospitals and skilled nursing homes fighting infection caused by hip replacement surgery in 2009. She is survived by sister Lilymae Penton of Pinedale and Phoenix, daughter-in-law Trudy Skinner of La Barge, Wyo., granddaughters Adriane Skinner, Tacoma, Wash., and Morgan (Kelly) Morris and newborn great grandson Hezekiah Morris of Evanston, Wyo., and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins in Arizona, Wyoming and Texas.
Her passing was preceded by death of her parents, her husband Bartley, son William Skinner, brothers Jimmy Walter and Nicholas Penton, Jr., and sister Doris (Penton) Williams.
Her family suggests any memorial contributions be made to Sublette County 4-H Council – Rose Skinner Preserve, P. O. Box 579, Pinedale, WY 82941.
Rose’s body was donated to science, including cremation. On April 21, 2012, a Celebration of Life for her was held at her sister Lil Penton’s winter home in Phoenix. Her sister intends a memorial service for Rose to be held in Pinedale in late June or early July.
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