Louise Skipper

Services for Louise Skipper, 95, will be held at 2pm, Monday, August 13, 2018, at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Howard Martin and Rev. Weldon Branham officiating. Burial will follow at West End Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6-7 pm, Sunday, August 12, 2018, at Lacy Funeral Home.

Louise Skipper, 95, died on August 10, 2018, at her home in Stephenville. Born Louise Jarratt near the Valley Grove community in Erath County, she graduated from Stephenville High School, then earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas Women’s University. She taught chemistry and home economics in Loraine, Texas, before moving back to Stephenville for another teaching job. In both schools she initiated school lunch programs. On August 6, 1949, she married Erath county native John Davis Skipper an army officer and World War II veteran. As an Army wife, Louise led community, church, and charitable activities. She won recognition from more than one commanding general for her entertaining and morale building skills. In 1961, when her husband retired from the Army, Louise returned to Stephenville where she founded a bookkeeping and income tax business. She was known for taking holiday meals to those without nearby family, planning school activities, supporting young people going to college and starting careers, and extending credit to those unable to obtain bank loans. Her business skills contributed to the success of a number of small business in Erath County. She was known to high school students and their parents because she sold her daughter’s (Ellen) photographs at Stephenville High School pep rallies. She was an avid Jackets fan and loved the Rangers games. At age 90, she retired from preparing income taxes rather than file returns electronically. She kept books for Skipper Real Estate until shortly before her death.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Skipper, her brothers, Dennis Jarratt (Ann) of Forest City, Arkansas, and Raymond Jarratt (Fenella) of Los Lunas, New Mexico, and nephew, Gary McCleskey of Dallas. She is survived by daughters, Ellen Skipper of Stephenville and Annalynn Skipper and Joe Smith of Oak Park, Illinois; Matt, Megan, Patrick, and Charlie Smith of Bethesda Maryland. She is also survived by nephews, Denny Jarratt of Forest City, Arkansas, her nieces, Karen Jarratt and Janet Jarratt and nephew, Ray Jarratt Jr., of Los Lunas New Mexico, and her nephew, Richard McCleskey of Stephenville. Her great-nephews and nieces are Joe Jarratt of Memphis, Tennessee, Hugh Jarratt of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Clayton Jarratt of Chicago, Lynn Marie Jarratt of Los Lunas, New Mexico, Mindy Pope of Stephenville, and Mack McCleskey of Waxahachie; and eight great great-nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the First Methodist Church in Stephenville.

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