Ninth Generation

6188. William Kent Skillman was born on 17 November 1925 in Bartlesville, OK. He died on 19 February 2014 at the age of 88 in Wichita, KS. SKILLMAN, WILLIAM K. "BILL", 88, trombone-player & jazz devotee, left this earthly world on Feb. 19, 2014 to play with the Big Band in the Sky. Born in Bartlesville, OK, his family moved to Wichita.

At East High, he played band & won the State mile. During WWII, he was an Army sharpshooter & combat engineer - radio communications & building bridges. After service, he returned to Wichita, married Ermalee (Bonar) & got his BA/MA at WSU. He had a triple-career in public relations (KG&E & City of Wichita); instrumental sales/rentals (Jenkins, Starkey & Senseney) & playing music. He was in many bands (Norman Lee, Jim Starkey, Shriner Hillbilly & Boeing Jazz) & venues (Shadowland, Cotillion, Tropics, circus & Riverside Park).

Preceded in death by parents Jessie (Pringle) & Ed; daughter Shelley; & brother Gerry. Survived by daughters Sherry & Stephanie; granddaughter Sasha Dang; brother Robert; nieces Marci (Mayo); & Pam (Handlin). Celebration of LifeSunday Mar. 2 from 1-3 pm at Mead’s Corner, 430 E. Douglas.

In lieu of flowers, please support live music in the local & regional venues of your choice. He served in the military sharpshooter and construction engineer WWII in U.S. Army.

Ermalee Claire Bonar (private).

William Kent Skillman-9489 and Ermalee Claire Bonar-10445 had the following children:

8759	i.	Sherry Skillman (private).
8760	ii.	Stephanie Claire Skillman (private).
8761	iii.	Shelley K. Skillman was born on 18 March 1959. She died on 4 December 1987 at the age of 28 in Wichita, KS. Paper: Wichita Eagle, The (KS) Date: December 6, 1987 SHELLEY K. SKILLMAN, 28, of 3559 Ponderosa, Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services counselor, died Friday, Dec. 4, 1987. Service 3 p.m. today, First Unitarian Church. Survivors: father, Bill Skillman, mother, Ermalee Skillman, both of Wichita; sisters, Sherry Skillman of Arcata, Calif., Stephanie Skillman of Wichita; grandmother, Lee Ellen Bonar of Stratford, Texas. Memorial has been established with the Wichita State University Minorities Studies Shelley Skillman Scholarship Fund. Byrd-Snodgrass Funeral Home. Section: LOCAL AND STATE, Page: 3E, Copyright (c) 1987 The Wichita Eagle She lived at 3559 Ponderosa in Wichita, KS on 4 December 1987. Shelley was a counselor at Dept. of Social and Rehab. Services in Kansas.