Ruth Helen Skaggs

Nov 7, 2005 | Obituaries

Ruth Helen Coffman Skaggs, a 92-year-old resident of Hyde Park, IL, diedon Saturday, Oct. 29, 2005. She was the sister-in-law of Lillian Foster of Laredo.

Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2005 at Faith United Protestant Church in Park Forest, IL. Rev. Dr. Stephen R. Hanning officiated. The eulogy was given by her children, John Skaggs and Margaret Salerno.

Mrs. Skaggs was born on Oct. 7, 1913. She graduated from Cornell College and Roosevelt University. She was a teacher of Westwood Junior High School in Park Forest for 10 years. The Skaggses were one of the first families in Park Forest and Mrs. Skaggs helped to organize and was the first president of the League of Women Voters. She was also the first woman to serve on the Park Forest Village Board of Trustees. She was an artist who traveled extensively with her husband, Lester, going around the world three times and visiting 51 countries. The couple were charter members of Faith United Protestant Church.

She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Lester, of the home in Hyde Park; a son, John Skaggs and his wife, Andrea, of Lexington, KY; two daughters, Margaret Salerno and her husband, Robert, of New York, NY, and Mary Anderson and her husband, Othello, of Chicago, IL; two grandchildren, Erika Skaggs and Lynore Anderson; a step-grandchild, Ian Hunley; and a brother, Eldon Coffman.

In addition to Mrs. Foster, other area relatives include Randy Foster and Kendall Foster of Laredo and their families.