Virginia L. Skinner

CAMBRIDGE - Virginia Lee Skinner, 98, passed away Monday, Feb. 26, 2007, at the Chesapeake Woods Center. She had been in failing health for the past two months.

She was born at Town Point on Oct. 1, 1908, and was a daughter of the late John Summerfield and Addie Poole Skinner.

Following graduation from Cambridge High School in 1924, she entered the Cambridge-Maryland Hospital School of Nursing, graduating and becoming a Registered Nurse in 1929.

In her early career she did private duty and was employed as a public health nurse for the Dorchester County Health Department. From the early 1950s until retiring in 1975 she was employed at Cambridge-Maryland Hospital, which became Dorchester General Hospital. Part of the time at the local hospital Miss Skinner served as Assistant Director and Director of Nursing.

She was currently the oldest member of St. Paul's U.M. Church, having joined when she was in nurses training. When her health permitted she attended regularly, was active in the United Methodist Women, and enjoyed working at Soup Day and other fund raising functions.

She was a dedicated member of the Dorchester General Hospital Auxiliary and had officially accumulated more than 12,000 hours of volunteer time. She particularly enjoyed working at the Robin Hood Shop.

She is survived by a sister, Helen "Bonnie" Brutz; a niece, Debbie Thomas and her husband, Kenneth R. Thomas Jr., all of Cambridge; one great-nephew, Mike Thomas of Elkridge, and one great-niece, Dr. Helen M. Thomas of Moab, Utah.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Nellie P. Skinner and a brother, J. Emerson Skinner.

A funeral service will be held at the Thomas Funeral Home at 11 a.m. on Friday, officiated by the Rev. Fred Bahr and the Rev. Delmer Willey. Burial will take place in Old Trinity Churchyard.

Friends will be received by her family at the funeral home on Thursday night from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Memorials may be made to either St. Paul's U.M. Church, c/o Richard Hargis, 205 Maryland Ave., Cambridge MD 21613; Antioch U.M. Church, c/o Jay Lane, 5642 Beach Haven Road, East New Market, MD 21631 or Robin Hood Shop, 416 High St., Cambridge, MD 21613.

Pall bearers will be John Bramble, P. Smith Rue, Bill Gore, Dr. Russell P. Smith, Kenneth R. Thomas Jr. and Mike Thomas.