- Date Of Birth: November 3, 1926
- Date Of Death: April 6, 2014
- State: Maine
Gray-On Sunday, April 6, Carlton John Skilling passed peacefully at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House with his three daughters at his side.
Carlton was born in Gray on November 3, 1926 to John and Catherine (Cobb) Skilling, their second child. He grew up on Cambell Shore Road where he spent the rest of his life. He loved helping his grandfather, Albert Cobb, on his farm as a youth and spoke fondly of this relationship.
Carlton graduated from Pennell Institute in 1945 and immediately left to serve in the Army. He was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone during WWII. He returned to Gray and married his high school sweetheart, Shirley Kuch, in May of 1948. Together they lovingly raised three daughters.
He worked for the Maine DOT for thirty-seven years, the last eleven as foreman in the Bridgton, Naples, Harrison area. He also owned his own paving business which he worked at on Saturdays and his vacations. This enabled him to pay the taxes on the lake property which had come down through the family to him. He and Shirley loved their summers there with the girls and the extended Skilling family. Carlton lost his beloved Shirley in 1982 just months after his retirement.
In 1984, he married Lauris Grant and they had twenty wonderful years together before her death in 2005.
Carlton loved to hunt and fish, especially in Eustis at a camp jointly owned with two brothers, two cousins, an uncle and a friend. He also loved to tell the antics of the “Lucky Seven” to the younger generations.
After a medical condition forced his retirement in 1981, he took up carving. Most his carvings are ducks and birds. He loved showing them off to company as did his three proud daughters.
Carlton was a member and past commander of Gray American Legion Post 86 for over 6O years. He was also a member of Presumpscot Masonic Lodge # 127 for over fifty years. As a member of Kora Shrine he organized the free trips for Gray students to the Shrine Circus for many years and accompanied his brother, Kenneth, taking patients from southern Maine to Shriners Hospital in Boston. As a member of the Gray Congregational Church he served many years as a deacon.
Besides his parents and wives, Carlton was predeceased by his brothers Albert and Kenneth. He is survived by his brother Robert and wife Cora and his sisters Yvonne Wilkinson and Beverly Blake. He is also survived by his three daughters Carol West and husband John, Catherine Grannell and husband Steven, and Lorene Skilling. In addition, he leaves five grandchildren: J. Adam West, Benjamin, Molly, Jason and Matthew Grannell and wife Gigi. His great grandchildren are Tori, Beth and Sophie. Many nieces and nephews will grieve his passing as well.
